Stationmaster Nakano-san was found near Nakanocho Station in Choshi, Chiba Prefecture last October. The kitten was unwell – thin, suffering from a cold so severe she could barely open her eyes.
Station staff adopted her and nursed Nakano-san back to health. They noticed that the kitten was unusually affectionate and friendly around strangers.
At the start of the year in January, she was the unofficial station apprentice. Less than six months later in May, she earned a promotion to full-fledged cat stationmaster, Nakano-san of Nankanocho station.
A cat stationmaster at a local Japanese train station is drawing fans and boosting merchandise sales as the struggling railway operator banks on the feline’s popularity to attract more tourists.
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She is already becoming a favourite – a much needed attraction for this long struggling station. Nakano-san’s first birthday was in July and fans gathered with their cameras and phones to celebrate the occasion.
The railway conductor, Remi Magami, has been named to the official role of Nakano-san’s secretary. The staff has created all kinds of merchandise with Nakano-san’s likeness (trying to find some) will drive interest and visits to the area. Annual ridership peaked past 2.5 million annual visitors in the 1950s. In the 1990s annual numbers dwindled below 1 million.
