Visiting the Cat Stationmaster | Wakayama Electric Railway

🚎 The Wakayama Electric Railway is a local railway that connects Wakayama Station in Wakayama City with Kishi Station in Kinokawa City. It is the first private railway in Japan to have a cat stationmaster. === === === === === === === === === 🔻 After entering the platform, you will see signs with illustrations of the cat stationmaster 'Tama'. The walls are adorned with various poses of calico cats, and the steps also have cat paw prints. 🔻 This time at Kishi, I met the new stationmaster 'Yontama', and there is also 'Nitama' who is the second-generation cat stationmaster. The first-generation stationmaster 'Tama' has passed away in 2015. They are all calico cats. 🔻 I took the Tama train directly this time, which is the famous cat-faced train. The interior of the train is quite retro and chic, with all-wooden decorations, different patterns on the seat cushions, cat-shaped lights, and a cabinet with Doraemon inside. 🔻 Kishi Station is very small, with a museum cafe inside that tells the history of the cat stationmasters. Next to it is a souvenir shop with lots of cat-related merchandise. 🔻 Kishi is actually quite a rural place, and there's not much to see once you leave the station. Watching high school students ride their bikes home, I also realized that my journey was coming to an end. === === === === === === === === === 🚎 Transportation 🔻 Wakayama Station, Platform 9 'Wakayama Electric Railway', heading to Kishi Station. 🔻 Transportation cards cannot be used, similar to taking a bus, get a numbered ticket when boarding, and pay cash according to the fare when alighting. 🔻 You can buy a 'Wakayama Electric Railway One-Day Pass' for 800 yen for unlimited rides. 🔻 The 'Ise Kumano Wakayama Tour Pass' also allows unlimited rides on the Wakayama Electric Railway.