Japan has excellent railroad personnel. They are punctual, courteous, and remarkably effective at getting millions of people where they need to go. And then there's Tama. She was a cat.

In 2007, a calico cat named Tama was formally chosen stationmaster of Kishi Station on Wakayama's Kishigawa Line. The railroad was failing, but Tama's appointment drew national and then international attention, helping to turn an endangered rural line into one of Japan's most endearing railroad stories. Apparently, the solution to public transportation economics had whiskers.

Today, you may still ride the Wakayama Electric Railroad cat line, visit the cat-shaped Tama Museum Kishi Station, see Tama's memorial, and, depending on your work schedule, meet one of her feline descendants. Once you've spent enough time in Japan, it's eccentric, cute, and yet entirely reasonable. Welcome to our latest JRPass guide.

Special update: You can now buy single rail tickets for Japan’s Golden Route on JRPass.com - single fares, one-way, fully digital, including the Shinkansen 'bullet' train. 

Who Was Tama?

On January 5, 2007, a calico cat named Tama was formally appointed stationmaster of Kishi Station on Wakayama's Kishigawa Line. She became worldwide recognized and is credited with revitalizing the faltering rural railroad by bringing people from Japan and other countries.

The Story

Before Tama took over administration, the Kishigawa Line was having a lot less fun.

The old operator, Nankai Electric Railroad, transferred the line to the newly formed Wakayama Electric Railroad, which commenced operations in 2006. The rural railroad needed passengers and a cause to exist.

Tama, a calico cat, lived at Kishi Station and was cared for in a little business nearby. When Wakayama Electric Railroad took over, its president, Mitsunobu Kojima, met Tama. His final solution was brilliantly Japanese: if the cat was going to be at the station anyhow, she might as well get a job.

Tama, the station master, was officially appointed on January 5, 2007, and she was given a miniature stationmaster cap. She was Japan's first cat formally appointed as stationmaster by a commercial railroad firm.

Her responsibilities were not particularly complex. Mostly, she had to be Tama. Finally, a senior management role with reasonable expectations. Photos spread. TV crews arrived. Tourists followed. People were anxious about losing a remote station, yet visitors went there just to meet its boss. Tama was promoted several times throughout her work, finally becoming executive officer and then deputy president of the railroad. Some people spend decades moving up the corporate ladder. Tama accomplished most of this while sitting.

The Tama Effect

Tama wasn't only cute. She gained economic importance. Her hiring drew a lot of media attention and led to a large increase in Kishigawa Line traffic. Wakayama Electric Railroad reports a 2007 estimate by Professor Katsuhiro Miyamoto of Kansai University, putting the economic effect connected with Tama at around ¥1.1 billion.

Tama was not the only one who contributed to the larger renaissance. Local supporters, the railroad company, government assistance, and special trains, such as the Strawberry Train and later Tama-themed services, all helped keep the line running.

But Tama offered the railroad what marketing departments spend fortunes attempting to create: a personality that people actually liked. She wasn’t advertising a destination. She was the destination.

When travelers arrived, they learned that the modest railroad, rural Wakayama, and its themed trains were also rather charming. That's what you call an amazing brand strategy. Tama probably called it lunch.

Visiting Today

The original Tama died in 2015, but the tradition she established continues. A crucial update for current travelers: Nitama is no longer the cat stationmaster. Nitama, who replaced Tama and became another popular personality on the railroad, died in November 2025. In January 2026, the Wakayama Electric Railroad announced a new stationmaster structure: Yontama became Kishi Stationmaster, Gotama became Idakiso Stationmaster and acting Kishi Stationmaster, and Rokutama joined as a stationmaster candidate. So, can you still visit a cat stationmaster in Japan? Absolutely.

Remember, your stationmaster is a living cat, not an animatronic attraction with set working hours. Current appearances may alter due to health, temperature, or other factors. Before visiting, the railroad recommended that you verify the most recent duty schedule.

A decent internet connection or Pocket Wi-Fi makes it easier to view the day's schedule while traveling; a SIM card can also be added at the JR Pass or regional-pass checkout.

Tama Museum Kishi Station

Even without a feline executive present, Kishi Station Wakayama is worth a visit. Eiji Mitooka designed the present station building, which opened in 2010. Its roof and windows form the unmistakable face of a cat, indicating that standard architecture had previously been tried and considered insufficiently feline.

Inside, you'll discover Tama Café, a Tama shop, and numerous tributes to the station's most renowned employee. In addition to its Strawberry and other character trains, the railroad provides themed trains, such as Tama-inspired services. If riding on a themed train is important to you, check the official timetable before you travel. Vehicle assignments may vary without notice. Because missing a train is annoying. Missing the cat train by three minutes is personal.

Getting There

Kishi Station is located in Kinokawa, Wakayama Prefecture, and marks the end of the private Kishigawa Line. Many overseas visitors find it easier to travel to JR Wakayama Station first, then transfer to the Kishigawa Line of the Wakayama Electric Railroad to reach Kishi. This is when your JR Pass requires a small reality check. Depending on your starting place and service, the Japan Rail Pass will allow you to travel to Wakayama on authorized JR services. The private Kishigawa Line, on the other hand, requires its own ticket because Wakayama Electric Railroad is not part of JR.

If you're planning a larger Kansai itinerary, compare the JR Pass to regional passes based on your actual route. Wakayama works especially well as an add-on to an Osaka or larger Kansai excursion, rather than as a standalone destination.

Travelers who want to spend more time in the prefecture might stay overnight in Wakayama and venture beyond the railroad. JapanDen's Wakayama guides can help convert a meeting with a cat into a multi-day itinerary, which is definitely not something your travel agent anticipated.

For first-time guests arriving into Kansai, a Meet & Greet service can help make airport arrival easier before you begin navigating regional trains independently.

A Shrine for a Stationmaster

Tama died in June 2015, following eight exceptional years as stationmaster. Her legacy is being treated with true reverence. She was named Honorary Eternal Stationmaster, and Tama Shrine is located on the platform of Kishi Station. Wakayama Electric Railroad continues to perform commemoration ceremonies to recognize her contributions to the line. It would be simple to dismiss the entire incident as another example of Japan's endearing fascination with cats. But Tama mattered. She became a symbol of a community battling to save its railroad, drew visitors to an underserved area, and helped give a little local line international recognition. That hat was lovely. The legacy was serious.

Japan's Love of Station Animals

Tama became the world's most famous example, but her narrative reflects Japan's greater desire to imbue transportation with personality.

Mascots, characters, and elaborate themed services are used by railroads across the country to make an average ride more interesting. It's part of the same beautifully devoted ethos that underpins Japan's themed and character trains, where transportation periodically decides that functionality is insufficient and requires an outfit. The difference with Tama was that she wasn't created by a marketing agency. She was just a cat who already belonged at the station. Then Japan handed her a hat. That changed everything.

FAQs

Q: Is there still a cat stationmaster in Japan?

A: Yes — successor stationmasters such as Nitama have continued the role at Kishi Station. Check current arrangements and appearance schedules before visiting.

Q: Where is Kishi Station?

A: Kishi Station is the terminus of the Kishigawa Line in Wakayama Prefecture. You reach Wakayama on JR services, then transfer to the private Kishigawa Line.

Q: Is the Kishigawa Line covered by the JR Pass?

A: No — it is a private railway requiring a separate ticket. The JR Pass covers your journey to Wakayama, but not the Kishigawa Line itself.

Q: Who was Tama the station master?

A: Tama was a calico cat appointed stationmaster of Kishi Station in 2007 on Wakayama's Kishigawa Line, and is credited with reviving a railway that had been struggling.

Q: Which Japanese station has a cat stationmaster?

A: Kishi Station on the Kishigawa Line in Wakayama is the famous one, where Tama served and successor cats have continued the tradition at the cat-faced station building.

Q: Can I Meet the Cat Stationmaster?

A: Potentially, yes, but check the official schedule before travelling. The cats' working arrangements can change because of health, weather and other circumstances

Q: Is Tama Still Alive?

A: No. Tama died in June 2015 and was subsequently honoured as the railway's Eternal Stationmaster. She is commemorated at Tama Shrine at Kishi Station.

Q: What Happened to Nitama?

A: Nitama succeeded Tama and served the railway for many years. She died in November 2025 and has since been commemorated as Nitama Ek守大神 at a shrine near Kishi Station.

Q: Is There a Tama-Themed Train?

A: Yes. Wakayama Electric Railway operates Tama-themed trains alongside other distinctive services. Check the current vehicle timetable because assignments can change.

Q: Is Kishi Station Worth Visiting If the Cat Isn't Working?

A: Yes. There's the cat-faced station building, Tama Café, shop, themed railway journey and Tama memorial to explore. You came to Japan to ride the trains so nobody said one of your favourite railway executives couldn't have whiskers.