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Many beautiful legends related to cats have been passed down throughout Japan since ancient times, leading to the emergence of some shrines or temples dedicated to cats. These places usually have cats as companions of the main deity, but in the Kiketsu area located in Susaki City, Shikoku, Japan, there is a “Cat Shrine” dedicated to cats as the main deity.
It is rumored that this cat god, with his incredible power, helped a monk rise to fame and gained exclusive shrine worship. Next, let’s unveil the mysterious veil of this magical story together!
By the seaside road, you can see a shrine labeled “Cat Shrine” (Google Street View)
This shrine, located in the Jiyue area of Susaki City, has recently become a hot topic of discussion due to a shrine story shared by a Japanese netizen nicknamed “Coin Bundle”.
This shrine, commonly known as the Cat Shrine, is officially known as the Jiyue Cat Shrine Society (Jiyue Cat Shrine Society) and houses a red haired cat known for its love of pranks.
It is said that this cat lived during the Edo period, initially residing in deep mountain temples far from the seaside. But after being discovered by a monk for playing a prank, he was expelled from the temple and traveled to Susaki by the sea.
However, this big cat did not harbor resentment towards the monk, but instead expressed gratitude for his long-term care. In the end, it helped the monk achieve success during the crisis of the “Fuko Family” in Tosa Domain.
Below is a post from ‘Coin Bundle’
This is a cat shrine located on the coast. It is said that during the Edo period, there was a cat kept in a temple that always stole the monk’s robe and transformed into a monk and his companions dancing. After this incident was exposed, the cat was driven out of the temple. However, one day, Tmall appeared in the monk’s dream, thanking him for his care over the years and promising, ‘In the end, I will use my spiritual power to repay kindness.’
Not long after, a clan elder passed away, but after the funeral, the coffin could not be moved. When everyone was helpless, the monk was invited to recite scriptures, and the coffin moved smoothly. Therefore, people regarded the monk as a highly respected monk. In order to repay the kindness of the cat, the monk specially built this shrine for it and used it as a place of worship. Later, people would bring cat dolls to fulfill their wishes, causing the temple to be filled with cat images
This interesting anecdote has amazed many Japanese netizens, as magical as a fable. According to the description on a local tourism website in Susaki City, locals habitually refer to the main deity of the shrine as the Cat God Daimyo (Cat God). The Cat God mainly blesses career development and physical health, especially for female diseases and brain disorders.
In addition, people who fulfill their wishes often offer cat dolls such as Lucky Cat, which were once piled up outside the shrine.
The Suzaki City Tourism Website introduces this place as the location of the “Cat God God who blesses business and health”
The ancestral hall is filled with various lucky cats and cat dolls
However, due to the invasion of wind and rain at the shrine, these dolls were later taken into the temple by the management personnel. If you want to appreciate these lucky cats up close, you can ask nearby residents to help open the door of the ancestral hall!
Dear cat lovers, why not go and worship the Cat God!