Japan’s “Tama” %s Hong Kong’s “Creamy” – Close-ups of Asia’s Celebrity Cats

The life of a stray cat is often fraught with hardship, but in Japan, there’s a true story of a stray cat becoming a stationmaster. Though she now has to “go to work” daily and sleeps in a cat bed at the station, the comfortable and relaxed working environment has allowed this stray calico cat to live a happy life. But it’s not just the cat who’s happy—so is the Wakayama Electric Railway she “serves.” As a local railway, Wakayama Electric Railway was originally operating at a loss. However, as the fame of the cat stationmaster grew, coupled with the railway’s launch of themed trains such as the Cat Train, Strawberry Train, and Toy Train, it began to turn a profit.

The cat stationmaster is named “TAMA” (Tama), serving at Kishi Station, a station designed with cats in mind, its exterior looking like a cat’s face. Since Tama is a cat raised by the owner of the nearby Koizumi Shop, she usually curls up in a cat bed next to the shop, where people can see her through transparent glass. Now 14 years old, Tama is a female cat who goes to “work” with the shop owner every day and “clocks out” to go home when the shop closes.

A wide range of merchandise related to the cat stationmaster Tama is sold at the station and Koizumi Shop. Visitors can also pay 100 yen to draw a fortune slip to check their luck for the day. Interestingly, the fortunes are explained in “cat language,” with every message ending in a cute “meow.” The station also displays rows of glass cases showcasing her certificates and belongings, including the 2007 appointment letter promoting her to stationmaster and a thank-you letter when she became an executive director.

 

In Hong Kong, a cream-colored British Shorthair cat named “Creamy” from a Kowloon Tsim Tung newsstand has long been a beloved and therapeutic celebrity feline known to everyone in the city. Not only has he appeared in commercials, but he has also released two personal photo books, and his autograph sessions have drawn huge crowds. With over 140,000 Facebook followers, Creamy is truly Hong Kong’s number one cat.

Tsim Tung Creamy is the resident cat of the “Shun Wo Store” newsstand at the ground floor of South Ocean Centre in Tsim Tung, Kowloon. His round, adorable appearance is incredibly endearing, and he’s a capable store manager who brings in business. He often patrols the store, sometimes lazily lying on the manga rack, dozing off near the cash register, or peering out at passersby from his little cardboard box with his big, watery eyes. Many people stop to admire him, and fans flock to the small newsstand daily to take photos with Creamy or catch a glimpse of him, often crowding the tiny space. Creamy has expressive features, is unafraid of the camera, and has a true star personality—even in front of large crowds, he remains calm and composed. Whether wearing sunglasses or a hat, he strikes a pose with full charisma. Last summer, Creamy went missing for 26 days, which made headlines in multiple newspapers. He was eventually found by his owner in a nearby parking lot. This dramatic disappearance only boosted Tsim Tung Creamy’s popularity even more.