Here’s a familiar saying: “In Ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped as gods; they have never forgotten this.” Certainly in Japan, cats are still given a huge amount of respect, with entire islands of moggies being given free roam to peacefully exist in their own little kitty ecosystem. Of course, things aren’t perfect, and stray and abandoned cats are a sad reality in Japan as much as they are in many other countries. But today we’re here to appreciate the happy cats of Gotanjo temple in Fukui Prefecture, who are lovingly tended to by Buddhist monks and fawned over by the adoring tourists who come to visit. You can even get a special kitty cat fortune and see what’s in store for the coming year!
Gotanjo Temple is so well-known for its plethora of feline residents, it’s now unofficially been dubbed “Kitty Temple” by visitors and local residents. The monks feed and care for the cats, who spend their days either lounging around on top of the omikuji (fortune) stands or trotting after the monks hoping for a tidbit.
猫寺こと御誕生寺に来ています٩(｡•ω•｡)و pic.twitter.com/mQcD2LG254
— あきぴら (@akipira) November 11, 2014
▲ “Here I am at Gotanjo Temple, aka Kitty Temple!”
待機番の時は遠くにいけないのでついここに｡今は食事中｡@御誕生寺 pic.twitter.com/vFTXhbQG4K
— 田舎の元外科医 (@inakashoge) October 25, 2014
▲ “Pussycat feeding time at Gotanjo Temple!”
雪の中、福井の猫寺行ってきた！
— ぜんまい！ (@8040zenmai) January 1, 2015
意外にたくさんにゃんこさんがいた。
寒そうだが、なかなか元気だった。 pic.twitter.com/6s7IWYZo6V
▲ “At Gotanjo Temple, in the snow! There’s many more moggies than I was expecting! They look a little chilly but still energetic!”
If you’d like to see the kitties in action, here’s an adorable video shot at the temple, where you can see the cheeky cats begging tourists for treats, snoozing on benches, and sniffing at the camera!
The sign on the omikuji stand invites patrons to reach around the snoozing cat to grab their fortune.
https://twitter.com/MY_0000_/status/548753099121119232
▲ “So many kitties at Gotanjo Temple!”
猫寺のおみくじ pic.twitter.com/gMGUbGbebl
— ねず菜 (@nezu_na) January 7, 2015
The fortunes themselves are kitty-themed!
https://twitter.com/LPtair74cult/status/539013884242190337
▲ “My omikuji fortune from Gotanjo Temple! I got this tiny kitty with it!
If you’re in need of some extra special good luck for the coming year, or if you simply love to look at hordes of fluffy, contented kitties, then be sure to add a visit to Kitty Temple to your travel itinerary next time you come to Japan!
Beckoning cat fortunes lure a kitten into their box at cat temple in Japan
Visit the birthplace of the Japanese daruma in Gunma Prefecture
A visit to Tokyo’s luckiest, kitty-est lucky cat temple: Gotokuji【Photos】
Cute cat infiltrates famous Japanese rock garden at Kyoto’s Tofukuji Temple 【Video】
TV program claims Japanese temple banned cats for being too cute, Japan nods in agreement
War in Iran threatening Japan’s pudding production
Japanese sweets souvenirs don’t get more beautiful than this
Tokyo store makes you to pass a quiz in order to buy Pokémon cards as part of anti-scalper policy
Tifa’s Final Fantasy VII bar is going to pop up in real-world Tokyo
Is spending 248,380 yen (US$1,840) on an anime boy doll a wise choice? Our fangirl finds out!
Second-generation sumo burger coming to Burger King Japan with return of Baby Body Burger
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Finnish design brand Iittala partners with Pokémon for a golden first collaborative tableware set
Brand-new Pokémon park opens in Japan with larger-than-life-size Lapras【Photos】
Open mail with the awesome Sailor Uranus Space Sword from Japan!
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Studio Ghibli launches huge new anime movie T-shirt collection with special design details
Brand-new Square Enix Cafe to open in Tokyo…and in Los Angeles too!
Japanese convenience store gives away free ice cream with creative ad at Shinjuku Station
Japan is so hungry for workers it used up its five-year visa quota in record time
Tsujihan sushi bowl restaurant goes viral with foreign tourists, but is it worth the hype?
Hello Kitty is now a transforming truck robot[Photos]
7-Eleven Japan’s cooked-in-store takoyaki is here! How does it fare against the street food king?
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japanese monk’s breakfasts with cats are the most important/cutest videos of the day
Tokyo’s beckoning cat temple asks foreign tourists to stop writing on the beckoning cats they buy
Buddhist temples in Japan get digital upgrade with new techno wooden fish【Video】
Kyoto temple goes modern with Techno Memorial combining music and lights with Buddhist Festival
Cat settles itself in Buddhist altar and shocks family
What is this kitty trying to tell us? The online mystery of the cat and the cotton swabs
Buddhist priest at Japanese temple lodging goes viral for rude responses to tourist’s bad reviews
“Disaster”: 2018 Kanji of the Year unveiled by Buddhist monk at Kiyomizudera temple in Kyoto
We’ll take our kitties to go! Cats hanging out in bags will brighten your day 【Pics】
Is this the oldest cat in the world? Japanese kitty Ai-chan turns 27 【Pics】
Cute cat finds way to make humans bow down and worship him at Japanese shrine
Japan travel bucket list: top places to visit in each prefecture before you die【Part II】