Okishima Cat Slave Paradise.

Okishima is the largest of the three islands on Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, and this small island is the only inhabited island on a freshwater lake in Japan, which is extremely rare even globally. Therefore, Okishima has attracted much attention in academic circles and has been listed as a Japanese heritage site. Now, there are only about 350 elderly residents on the island, and most of them still rely on fishing, living off the aquatic products from Lake Biwa. It is said that the reason why there are more cats than people on the island is also related to fishing. It is said that in ancient times, fishermen brought cats to the island to breed in order to prevent rats from damaging their boats. Another theory is that the ancestors of the residents were fugitive warriors of the Genji clan, and cats were the pets kept by the warriors stationed on the island. Regardless, the situation is similar to that of Tashirojima; the villagers and cats have established a deep relationship since ancient times. To be honest, there are no particularly tempting attractions on Okishima, but the biggest extra gain is the unadorned traditional Japanese fishing port scenery. Watching the energetic elderly locals diligently repair fishing nets and the old fishermen prepare equipment for the next day's sea trip, in addition to the cats, the daily life of the islanders is also a precious cultural exploration journey. Okishima Address: Okishima-cho, Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture