It’s a great day to be a cat lover. On January 7, a calico cat named Yontama was officially appointed stationmaster at Kishi Station, following a small but heartfelt ceremony attended by railway staff, local fans and longtime followers of the line’s feline crew.
A medal engraved with her new title was gently placed around her neck, commemorating the historic occasion.
Wakayama Electric Railway’s Kishigawa Line is famous across Japan — and far beyond — for its “feline staff,” a rotating roster of resident cats appointed to ceremonial railway roles.
While their official duties largely involve greeting passengers, posing for photos and presiding calmly over the station in their little stationmaster cap and regalia, the tradition has drawn people to Wakayama from across the globe since it began in 2007.
The presence of a cat in an official position, it turns out, is a near-universal source of joy and a surprisingly effective way to put a small rural railway on the global map.
Meet Rokutama, the Next Stationmaster Candidate
Alongside Yontama’s appointment to the stationmaster role at Kishi Station, the railway also introduced Rokutama, a wide-eyed new recruit joining the team as a feline “candidate.” While still learning the ropes (and presumably perfecting the art of looking important while napping), Rokutama represents the next generation of station staff, ensuring that the line’s paw-powered charm is set to continue.
In a message published on the Wakayama Electric Railway website, Mitsunobu Kojima, the railway’s president, explained that Rokutama is referred to as a candidate rather than an apprentice because “she has yet to graduate from the ‘Training Without Training Institute: Okayama Electric Tramway Cat Stationmaster Training Center,’” making her appointment “akin to a student being sent into service before completing their studies.” Hopefully she learns quickly on the job.
The Legacy of Tama
The Kishigawa Line’s cats follow a distinctive naming system that reflects their place in the lineage. Each name builds on “Tama,” the original cat stationmaster appointed in 2007, with numerical prefixes marking succession. After Tama came Nitama (Tama II). Yontama is Tama IV. Last year, Gotama (Tama V) joined the crew, expanding the team and sharing station duties between Kishi and Idakiso stations. Now, with Rokutama (Tama VI) entering the picture, the numerical tradition continues.
The ceremony also honored Nitama, who passed away in November last year. She has been posthumously named honorary stationmaster, recognizing her years of service and her role in carrying forward Tama’s legacy. Tama herself, whose appointment in 2007 helped save the struggling rural line from financial collapse, remains a near-mythical figure in Japanese railway history. Her success sparked a nationwide trend, inspiring other local railways to appoint animals as symbolic station staff.
Source: TW Tokyo Weekender
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
