Cat Heaven Island
The small Japanese island of Tashirojima has been dubbed ‘Cat Heaven’ by visitors. Home to only one hundred people, cats far outnumber humans in the tiny fishing village.
Cats were originally brought to the island to keep the mice population in check as the rodents were predators of the silkworms that were raised to spin silk to make nets. Over time, the population has aged and the silk farms have vanished – however the cats have remained and their numbers have exploded.
The remaining locals, mostly in their seventies, pamper the cats and feed them fish. It is believed, in line with Japanese folklore, the cats bring good luck and prosperity. The fishermen also examine the behaviour of the cats to determine weather and fish patterns, which they believe they are able to predict.
For five years photographer Fubirai followed the cats around the village and