Charming Cat-Themed Wooden Benches Unveiled in Onomichi, Hiroshima, Enhance City’s Feline-Friendly Image

By Ayako Nishidoji / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

1:00 JST, April 14, 2025

ONOMICHI, Hiroshima — Three new wooden benches featuring cat-inspired designs have debuted in Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, widely known as the “Town of Cats.” The natural warmth of wood combines with the charming cat motifs to create even more inviting spaces for visitors to relax in. It seems like fun to sit on each bench and see which one is most comfortable.

These benches were conceived and designed last fiscal year by local junior high school students as part of their studies. The city then commissioned a local forestry cooperative to manufacture them. Three two-seater benches, crafted from locally sourced hinoki cypress and cedar wood, were built at a total cost of approximately ¥900,000, funded by the national Forest Environment Transfer Tax.

The benches each showcase unique feline themes. The Cat Bench (1.46 meters long), with its seats depicting two cat faces, is installed in a plaza along a local shopping street. Meanwhile, the Cat Pawprints Bench (1.2 meters), which features pawprints running from its backrest to its seat, and the Cat Silhouette Bench (1.26 meters), with two endpieces shaped like stretching cats, are on the east-side deck of a building in front of Onomichi Station.

A city official said: “These creative designs, which grownups might not imagine, uniquely capture the spirit of Onomichi. We encourage visitors to take a break on the benches while strolling through the shopping streets or waiting for the ferry.”