Funeral Held for Feline Stationmaster ‘Nitama,’ with 500 Fans Attending to Bid Farewell

By Kazufumi Murakami / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

16:04 JST, December 14, 2025

A funeral was held for feline stationmaster Nitama at Kishi Station on Wakayama Electric Railway Co.’ s Kishigawa Line in Kinokawa, Wakayama Prefecture, on Saturday.

Around 500 people, including associates and fans of Nitama, attended the funeral to bid farewell to the female calico cat, which died last month.

The railway company appointed the cat “Honorary Special Stationmaster” to commemorate her service to the line.

Nitama succeeded stationmaster Tama, another calico cat, to become the station’s second feline stationmaster in the summer of 2015. In that position, she contributed to promoting the Kishigawa Line.

In late October this year, Nitama’s appetite declined, and on Nov. 20, she died at the age of 15.

“She worked diligently and provided irreplaceable comfort,” Mitsunobu Kojima, president of Wakayama Electric Railway and chairman of the funeral committee, said in his memorial address. “Nitama, please watch over Wakayama Electric Railway from heaven alongside Stationmaster Tama.”

Fans traveled from various locations to watch the funeral proceedings. After the ceremony, they stood in front of a portrait of Nitama and prayed that she would find peaceful rest in the afterlife. They also placed bouquets and cat food on a memorial altar set up near the station.