ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi — TASHIROJIMA, Japan (AP) — On a small island off Japan's northeastern coast, visitors make offerings at a shrine for unlikely local guardians: cats. The "Neko Jinja," or Cat Shrine ...

A former “stationmaster cat” in a rural Japanese town has recently been appointed “chief priest” of a shrine in Kinokawa in Japan’s Wakayama Prefecture. Nitama, who gained international attention for ...

Hidden in the depths of northern Kyoto is a magical place that is sure to be a hit among cat lovers. In fact, visitors might even feel a little bit spiritual after making their way to the entrance, ...

TASHIROJIMA, Japan — On a small island off Japan's northeastern coast, visitors make offerings at a shrine for unlikely local guardians: cats. The "Neko Jinja," or Cat Shrine, mythologizes cats as ...

Editor’s Note: Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel’s weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations opening and closing, inspiration for future adventures, plus the latest in aviation, food ...

A shrine in Japan's Tokushima Prefecture has about 10,000 beckoning cats on its grounds, drawing in not only cat lovers, but many students hoping to pass their exams. What blessings does the shrine ...

It’s no secret that Japan loves cats. In Japan, cats symbolize good luck, prosperity and spiritual protection. Today, there are honorary cat station masters, cat islands and temples that celebrate the ...

Perhaps surprisingly, fewer than 10% of the 6,852 islands making up the Japanese archipelago are inhabited. But among those 400 or so, travelers are treated to a rich tapestry of natural treasures, ...