It is only 14.3 kilometers of line but it is key for the residents of Wakayama and Kinokawa, the towns that connect the Kishigawa Line located south of Osaka. Right now, on the train you can find locals going here and there but, above all, there are tourists. They are not just any tourists, for that we have to go a few kilometers higher where we will find them taking photos with the famous Glico Man of Dotonbori. Here we will find tourists interested in two of the most deeply rooted hobbies in Japan: trains and cats. A formula that can be explosive, capable of recovering a train line by itself, attracting local tourism and positioning two small towns on the map of those seeking a different experience in one of the most extravagant countries in the world. Because here, the trains arrive dressed as cats and the station masters are… indeed, cats. My name is Tama and I am the boss of this station The Kishigawa Line was born at the beginning of the 20th century. The objective was to unite three sanctuaries and make it easier for those who made the pilgrimage there to get around. Nichizengu Shrine, Kamayama Shrine and Itakiso Shrine linked by a train line, count in Japanism. The line remained in operation for decades and in the 1960s the Nankai company took over its operation. But time moved on and large cities became a black hole that absorbed and absorbed workers. Cities grew first with Tokyo Olympics in 1964. Then with accelerated development that made Japan the most technologically advanced country in the world. And at the same pace as they conquered the world market with electronic devices at rock-bottom prices, cities grew at the same pace. Workers were needed for all types of tasks. the book Tokyo, Ueno station It explains very well how workers left their hometown and disappeared for years, unable to spare a handful of days to return to their place of origin. That depopulation little by little it was killing the Kishigawa line. The use of it fell so much that in 2006, Nankai decided to close it, unable to make the service profitable. And in the 2000s, the passengers had fallen in half compared to a decade ago. The solution came from the local governments through which the line passed, who took charge of the land and infrastructure, leaving a new company in charge of its operation and maintenance. The only problem is that no one wanted to take charge of a line of just 14.3 kilometers with a debt of more than five million dollars. At that time, local governments came knocking on the door of Okayama Dentetsu, a company that had already achieved some success with other similar public-private collaborations. Hand in hand with this new company, Wakayama Electric Railway was created, the company that was going to take charge of the Kishigawa Line. That day, a cat would forever change the future of the line. After the reopening event, at the Kishi station, a woman asked if a cat that was barely two months old could stay at the station since she couldn’t find a home. Mitsunobu Kojima, president of Okayama Dentetsu and, by extension, of Wakayama Electric Railwaynot only welcomed her at the station, he also gave her a job in a clear show of trust. Tama, which was the cat’s name, was now another worker on the new line. The rise was meteoric because in 2007, just a few months later, Tama was appointed Station Master. And he saved the line. Attracted by the news, tourists multiplied. More and more passengers approached the Kishigawa Line to meet the cat who, in uniform, guarded the station. Attracted by the supposed good luck of the new worker, more and more people came to take photos with her. The success was such that from the less than two million passengers who took the line before 2005, 2.3 million passengers were reached in less than a decade later, they explain in Japanism. Office of Tama, station manager The Tamaden was Japan’s first theme train Aware of the popularity of their new worker, Wakayama Electric Railway wanted to take advantage of Tama’s potential even more and in 2009 they inaugurated the Tamaden, the first cat-themed train, dressed with cat ears and whiskers, as well as numerous caricatures of the cat herself. Inside there is specific decoration with cat motifssuch as the upholstery or the fabric of the seat cushions. It’s not the only thing. Handles, lamps, curtains, footprints on the floor… everything is reminiscent of the cat world. By the way, the upholstery is brown with the characteristic color of the cat Tama. In fact, everything that surrounds this line lives for and to remember the figure of Tama. Kishi Station now has cat ears and eyes clearly visible from its exterior. There Tama had her own office, as she earned stripes in the company. His impact was key to resurrecting the line. Unfortunately, in June 2015, at the age of 16, Tama passed away. The affection of its neighbors was seen in the following days when the governor of the prefecture to which the train line belongs issued a statement. And, above all, when… 3,000 people attended his funeral. Tama was replaced by Nitama. It was logical if we take into account that Nitama was a station manager at another of the stops on the line and replaced Tama during her days off. That is to say, Nitama received painful recognition from Wakayama Electric Railway. One of those promotions you never want. The cat Nitama also worked with dedication. In fact, the president of the company that operates the train line noted at the end of 2025 that “it worked diligently and provided irreplaceable comfort. Nitama, please monitor the Wakayama Electric Railway from the sky,” in words reported by Independent. And Nitama died last November 2025. Until then, this new station chief could be seen every … Read more
