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Oberle

Trusted Member
Loved this story, but then I worship cats too. Here's to the honorable eternal stationmaster! :cat:

Cute (but probably copyrighted) pics at the link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/01/tama-the-cat-stationmaster-japan-dies_n_7702762.html

Thousands of people gathered in a Japanese city over the weekend to bid farewell to a beloved local icon: a cat named Tama who served as stationmaster of a rural railway station for almost a decade.

The calico cat has been credited with saving the struggling station, and its railway line, from financial collapse.

Tama’s road to glory began in 2007 when she was appointed honorary stationmaster at the unmanned Kishi station in rural Wakayama prefecture. Tama, who had been a stray who hung around the station, was the first cat in the world to hold such a position.
* * *
Tama, wearing a custom-made stationmaster’s cap and cape, would sit at the station’s ticket gate “greeting” passengers.

She soon attracted tourists from across Japan and around the world who flocked to the station to see her at work.

Kojima says the cat’s popularity helped pull the railway line out of debt. The cat is said to have contributed an estimated 1.1 billion yen ($8.9 million) to the local economy.

"Tama-chan really emerged like a savior,” Kojima said in a speech delivered at the cat’s funeral. "It was truly my honor to have been able to work with her.”

Tama died on June 22 at the age of 16 (or about 80 in human years).

On Sunday, an estimated 3,000 people attended her funeral, held at Kishi station. Mourners reportedly brought flowers and tins of tuna to honor the late stationmaster.

During the Shinto-style ceremony, Tama was elevated to the status of goddess. Followers of the Shinto religion honor many gods, including animal deities.

The AP says Tama will be enshrined at a nearby cat shrine in July.


In a message of condolence, Yoshinobu Nisaka, the governor of Wakayama, expressed his sadness at the cat’s death. He called Tama a “superstar of tourism,” according to The Guardian, adding: “I express my deep sorrow and great gratitude.”

In her lifetime, Tama was promoted from stationmaster to "ultra-stationmaster,” and then to vice president of the rail company. On Sunday, she was posthumously given a new title: honorable eternal stationmaster.

Tama will reportedly be succeeded by another calico cat named Nitama, or "Tama II."​
 
Awww what a sweet story. Those Japanese, they love their kitties.:cat::cat::cat::cat::cat::cat::cat::cat::cat::cat:
 
Loved this story, but then I worship cats too. Here's to the honorable eternal stationmaster! :cat:

Cute (but probably copyrighted) pics at the link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/01/tama-the-cat-stationmaster-japan-dies_n_7702762.html

Thousands of people gathered in a Japanese city over the weekend to bid farewell to a beloved local icon: a cat named Tama who served as stationmaster of a rural railway station for almost a decade.

The calico cat has been credited with saving the struggling station, and its railway line, from financial collapse.

Tama’s road to glory began in 2007 when she was appointed honorary stationmaster at the unmanned Kishi station in rural Wakayama prefecture. Tama, who had been a stray who hung around the station, was the first cat in the world to hold such a position.
* * *
Tama, wearing a custom-made stationmaster’s cap and cape, would sit at the station’s ticket gate “greeting” passengers.

She soon attracted tourists from across Japan and around the world who flocked to the station to see her at work.

Kojima says the cat’s popularity helped pull the railway line out of debt. The cat is said to have contributed an estimated 1.1 billion yen ($8.9 million) to the local economy.

"Tama-chan really emerged like a savior,” Kojima said in a speech delivered at the cat’s funeral. "It was truly my honor to have been able to work with her.”

Tama died on June 22 at the age of 16 (or about 80 in human years).

On Sunday, an estimated 3,000 people attended her funeral, held at Kishi station. Mourners reportedly brought flowers and tins of tuna to honor the late stationmaster.

During the Shinto-style ceremony, Tama was elevated to the status of goddess. Followers of the Shinto religion honor many gods, including animal deities.

The AP says Tama will be enshrined at a nearby cat shrine in July.


In a message of condolence, Yoshinobu Nisaka, the governor of Wakayama, expressed his sadness at the cat’s death. He called Tama a “superstar of tourism,” according to The Guardian, adding: “I express my deep sorrow and great gratitude.”

In her lifetime, Tama was promoted from stationmaster to "ultra-stationmaster,” and then to vice president of the rail company. On Sunday, she was posthumously given a new title: honorable eternal stationmaster.

Tama will reportedly be succeeded by another calico cat named Nitama, or "Tama II."​
This reminds me of the legend of Maneki Neko: the cat that found the wounded, dying shogun in the woods and led it back to the monastary where the monk that cares for her saved the shoguns life. That is the basis of all the lucky cat figurines you see in Asian restaurants with one paw up [they bring money in from customers]
 
This story is too cute! I got such a kick out of reading it and just when you think the story can't get any cuter...it does. Lots of laughs and smiles here. What a gorgeous cat.
 
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