The Cat That Saved a Railway

In February 2006, a Japanese railway was about to close down. Not many people were riding the trains anymore. The railway president started kicking stray cats out of Kishi Station. But one special cat would change everything.

Tama Gets Hired

The station manager loved a cat named Tama. He begged the railway president to let her stay. Instead of being kicked out, Tama got a job as Kishi Station Master! She received a uniform, a gold name tag, and a year's supply of cat food. Her job was simple - greet passengers as they came through the station.

Business Starts Booming

People loved the idea of a cat station master. In the first month after Tama started her job, 17% more people rode the trains. This trend kept going up. Tama became famous across Japan.

Tama's Success Story

Tama quickly became a national star. The railway made Tama merchandise for fans to buy. They even created a special Tama-themed train! Tama got her own office with a private bathroom - which was really just a converted ticket office with a litter box.

The Feline Dynasty Begins

In 2012, Tama got an apprentice named Nitama (which means "second Tama"). When Tama passed away in 2015 at age 16, more than 3,000 people came to her funeral. The railway promoted her to "Honorary Eternal Station Master" - quite a title for a cat!

Continuing the Legacy

After a fifty-day mourning period, Nitama officially took over the job. Another cat called Santama ("third Tama") was training at Okayama Station to be Nitama's helper. But the staff there loved Santama so much they wouldn't give her up, saying "I will not let go of this child."

The Dynasty Today

Today, Nitama runs Kishi Station with help from her own apprentice, Yontama ("fourth Tama"). The cat dynasty that started with one special feline continues to bring joy to train passengers and keep the railway running strong.

What started as a last-ditch effort to save a failing business turned into a heartwarming success story. Tama and her cat successors proved that sometimes the most unexpected employees can make the biggest difference.