I visited Tashirojima — also known as “Cat Island” — in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.
It was a short trip with my parents, partly for MeowSnap app testing, and partly for a quiet family getaway.
We took the ferry from Ishinomaki at 12:42 and arrived at Nitoda Port around 13:30.
With the return boat leaving at 15:30, we had only about two hours to explore the island.
Arriving at the Island
Right after arriving, we found a bench near the port.
As soon as we sat down, cats appeared from nowhere —
as if saying “take my picture.”
They posed quietly in front of the camera,
then trotted away once the shutter clicked.
Their free-spirited nature made me smile.
Locals, Tourists, and Cats
A little further down the path, I saw a foreign tourist giving water to the cats.
More than ten of them gathered around,
waiting calmly for their turn.
It was such a peaceful sight that I stopped and watched for a while.
A small truck passed by and dropped a wheel into a ditch. A local man tried to help with a jack, while the cats kept trying to slip under the truck — it was both funny and endearing.
Testing MeowSnap
One of the goals of this trip was to see
how cats photographed with MeowSnap would appear on the map,
and to capture some screenshots for the app.
As I took photos on-site, I could see the cats being mapped one by one,
and I realized how fun it is to record moments like this through the app.
Reflections
Although our stay was short and there were more places I wanted to see,
the time spent on the island with my parents — and with the cats —
was calm, gentle, and deeply memorable.
The visit began as part of app development,
but in the end, it became one of the most memorable moments of the trip.
