[2025 Kagoshima Attraction] Travel Guide for Neko Shrine (Updated Apr)

#April travel support fund On the last day of the Lunar New Year holiday in February, I spontaneously booked a flight + accommodation for the next day with Trip.com for 200,000 won and went on a 3-night, 4-day solo trip to Kagoshima! Unlike other cities where there were many tourists everywhere, it was quiet and comfortable to travel. There weren't that many things to see, but it wasn't enough to be lacking in content for 3 nights and 4 days, and I thought it would be worth going again if I had the chance. People who have a hard time in crowded places can heal while traveling.

#MarchGoodPlaces2025 The Cat Shrine of Kagoshima is located in Senganen Garden. It is said that the seven cats that the 17th feudal lord Shimazu Yoshihiro brought to Korea during the Bunroku Campaign in 1592 were used to judge the changes in time using their pupils. After the battle, only two cats returned safely, so the feudal lord established this "Cat God Shrine" to worship the cat gods and built a small shrine to commemorate them. On February 22, the Cat God Society holds a "Cat Lovers' Longevity Prayer Festival". Because the pronunciation of "meow meow" sounds like that of "meow", it is called Cat Day, or Cat Festival. The torii gate of the Nekojin Shrine is decorated with shimenawa ropes. Many believers come here to offer ema with two yellow and white cats printed on it, praying for the safety and health of their cats at home. The prayers are accompanied by Japanese, Chinese, and Korean words, expressing their deep love for their furry friends. Finally, be sure to buy cat amulets and other cat souvenirs

Inside this huge courtyard, there is also a shrine dedicated to serving cats. It is said that the 17th generation of Shimadzus family, Shimazu Yoshihiro, took seven kittens while serving as Wen Lu and Qing Chang, because he believed that the opening and closing of the cats eye pupils could be used to speculate. The descendants of Shimadzus family built a shrine in the courtyard and enshrined two survivors. There is also a cat house next to the shrine, which is dedicated to selling cat-related souvenirs. The view here is excellent, it is the Yosemite to enjoy the Sakurajima volcano.