Kishi Station (Wakayama)


Kishi Station is a train station on the Kishigawa Line in Kinokawa, Wakayama, Japan, operated by the private railway operator Wakayama Electric Railway.
Kishi Station was known for Tama the stationmaster cat, who became the mascot for the station until she died in June 2015. The cat held the official position as Super Station Master. Tama was succeeded as Station Master by another cat, named Nitama.
Since renovation, the station is housed in a cat-face-shaped building, with a Tama-theme cafe, with cat theme chairs and cakes. There is a souvenir shop with a wide range of stationery and Kishi Station uniforms. The Wakayama Electric Railway operates three cat-themed trains: Strawberry, Tama, and Toy.
The feline stationmaster works on Friday–Tuesday and is off duty on Wednesday and Thursday.

History

On February 1, 2010, the Kishi Station building was closed and demolished. Construction began on a new station facility in March, with the cat-themed new complex opened in July.