Aoshima,Japan
Aoshima is a small islet, a strip of land in the middle of the sea a bit longer than half a mile and located near the coast of Ozu, in the Ehime Prefecture in Japan. Over 120 cats live here happily and undisturbed – quite a colony if you consider that the island has just 20 inhabitants. The few residents of Aoshima are all retired and former fishermen between the ages of 60 and 80 and spend much of their time in caring for felines.
About 380 years ago, Aoshima was a very well-organized fishing village and cats were introduced for the sole purpose of fighting the invasion of mice that threatened the food resources transported by the boats. Later during the Second World War, about 900 refugees moved to the island along with their pets, and the cats began to reproduce uncontrollably.
By the 1960s, the number of inhabitants began to fall to 665, while that of cats continued to increase exponentially.
The number of Aoshima's cats has greatly exceeded that of humans, and today despite the fact that the island does not offer any attractions, it is a tourist attraction for thousands of tourists who come to photograph this army of adorable cats which wander free and serene throughout every corner of the village.
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