When cat cafes started showing up in Japan, no one was really sure how long they'd last. Sure, the idea of sipping on drinks and munching on light fare while surrounded by felines had a definite appeal, but some wondered if it might be nothing more than a passing fad.
Fast-forward to the present day and cat cafes are so popular that some specialize to an even greater degree within the category, leading to cat cafes that boast luxurious interior design, alcoholic beverages, or nothing but black cats. One of the best subgenres of cat cafes are those that seek to match rescue cats with new homes, and now Gifu-based rescue cat cafe Sanctuary is going one step further in unique ideas by creating Japan's first cat cafe train.
The project is a joint venture with Yoro Railway, which operates in Gifu and Mie Prefectures. The Cat Cafe train will run between Gifu's Ogaki and Ikeno Stations, and passengers will share the carriage with a number of rescue cats which were originally scheduled to be culled but are now under the protection of Sanctuary.
