Tama Super Cat !

Tama Super Cat !, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

Pat of the blog Past Imperfect had a post on 7 July about the Minehead
Train Station and the flower bed that her friend Joy was involved in.
That made me think of the Kishikawa Train Station In Japan.

On my last trip to Japan I found this book about Tama a Calico Cat who
helped save the Kishikawa Train Station.
The separate little train paper at the bottom of this picture is a
wrapper that goes around the book
and shows the train with the Strawberries that this area is known for.

This cat is responsible for turning around the fortunes of the
troubled Wakayama Railway.
One day she showed up at the train station and started to greet the
passengers and a star was born.
She now is dressed in a uniform cap and she poses for photos with the
tourists who are flocking to the station in droves. . .

And as they say in the movies the station was saved !

Tama has done such a good job of raising revenue and passengers have
been gradually returning to ride the train,
that she was rewarded by a new title "Super Train Station Master" and
given a raise. . .

all in cat food of course !

traveling. . . parsnip
music. . . Tonari No Totoro, OST, My Neighbor Totoro