How are deer and cats helping boost tourism in Japan’s Tohoku region?

euronews (in English)

The huge earthquake and tsunami of 2011 devastated Japan’s Tohoku region but a national park full of cats and deer is playing a major role in the area’s recovery.

Transcript

00:00 (upbeat music)

00:02 Japan's Northeastern Tohoku region

00:06 often gets overlooked by travelers,

00:08 but this remote and breathtakingly beautiful part

00:10 of the country is full of hidden treasures,

00:13 including islands where cats and deer reign supreme.

00:17 Welcome to this edition of Focus.

00:20 (upbeat music)

00:23 The region of Tohoku unfolds over several prefectures.

00:26 Along its eastern coastline

00:28 is the Sanrikufuku Reconstruction National Park.

00:31 Established to help revitalize the region

00:34 after the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami in 2011,

00:38 the park includes a group of quaint islands.

00:41 This one is Toshirajima, but as you arrive,

00:43 you soon realize why everyone calls it Cat Island.

00:47 Here, felines outnumber the human residents

00:49 by more than four to one.

00:51 Local fisherman and all-round cat expert,

00:53 Hamatan, tells me more.

00:56 Why does the island have so many cats?

00:58 (Hamatan speaks in foreign language)

01:03 And I'm guessing you don't have a mice problem anymore.

01:16 (Hamatan speaks in foreign language)

01:24 (upbeat music)

01:26 When it comes to being fanatical about felines,

01:28 this place takes things to another level.

01:31 The island is frequently overrun by cat lovers,

01:34 mutually assured pleasure for all.

01:36 (Hamatan speaks in foreign language)

01:42 (Koji speaks in foreign language)

01:46 In addition to the boatloads of cat-mad visitors,

02:00 there's a cat restaurant

02:01 and cat manga-themed holiday homes.

02:04 Perfect, I guess, for a cat nap.

02:07 There's also, wait for it, a cat shrine.

02:11 (upbeat music)

02:13 Yes, Toshiroshima has its own cat shrine

02:17 where you can come and pray to the cat god

02:19 who is said to bring good fortune.

02:21 Local fishermen are also apparently able

02:24 to read the gestures of cats

02:25 to predict the weather and fishing conditions.

02:28 (Hamatan speaks in foreign language)

02:33 (Koji speaks in foreign language)

02:37 Okay, much more reliable.

02:43 And how do you feel about there being

02:45 so many cats on the island?

02:47 Are you happy about it?

02:48 (Hamatan speaks in foreign language)

02:52 (Koji speaks in foreign language)

02:56 If cats aren't really your thing,

03:06 then what about deer?

03:07 The neighboring island of Kinkazan

03:09 is one of Japan's holiest places.

03:12 Here, hundreds of sacred deer roam freely.

03:15 They are said to be divine messengers of the gods.

03:18 In addition to the deer,

03:20 the island is also famous for its 8th century Shinto shrine.

03:25 Now, legend has it, if you come to pray here

03:27 for three consecutive years,

03:29 you won't have to worry about money

03:31 for the rest of your life.

03:32 (gentle music)

03:36 For around 1,200 years,

03:41 prayers and ceremonies have been practiced here.

03:44 To find out more about the wealth and fortune

03:47 bestowed on visitors,

03:49 I spoke to one of the temple's priests.

03:52 Why is this place so sacred?

03:56 (Koji speaks in foreign language)

04:00 There's a strong chance I won't be able to come here

04:11 three consecutive years in a row to pray.

04:14 Is there any chance you can make an exception for me?

04:17 (Koji speaks in foreign language)

04:21 Kinkazan's stunning landscapes and deep spirituality

04:27 make it truly magical.

04:29 Today, it's hard to believe both it and Toshirajima

04:32 were hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake

04:35 and tsunami in 2011.

04:38 Few traces of that disaster remain,

04:40 a testament to Tohoku's,

04:43 but more broadly, Japan's spirit of resilience

04:46 and recovery.

04:47 (gentle music)

04:50 (gentle music)

04:52 (gentle music)

04:55 (gentle music)

04:57 (upbeat music)

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