Tokushima｜Worshiping the cat god can make wishes come true: Tokushima's super hidden spot Oji Shrine

This cat shrine is not easy to reach, but it still attracts people to visit every day. If you are lucky, the cats in the shrine will turn over and play with you. The story begins three hundred years ago. At that time, a woman named Asong's husband borrowed money from a wealthy man. After she worked hard to repay the loan, her husband died of exhaustion. Although she had paid back the money, she did not receive a repayment certificate. Asong cried to the magistrate but was sentenced to death. Before she died, she asked her beloved cat Atama to help her get revenge. After that, Atama became a vengeful spirit and kept harassing the wealthy and the magistrate. Finally, Hasegawa Bugyo of Awa Domain built a shrine to enshrine Atama, which calmed the commotion. And Otama has become the "Cat God who grants wishes" and has become a focus of worship at Prince Shrine. The main deity of Prince Shrine is Amaterasu's third son, the third prince, Jinji Neko-no-Mikoto, commonly known as Neko-gami. Because it is pronounced the same as "ねこ", he is the god of oaths in Japanese mythology. In the worship hall, there are many lucky cats for people to fulfill their wishes, as well as a lot of cat snacks and feed. The walls on both sides are also hung with ema and lucky cats. There are currently six cats in the shrine, and their names and photos are hung on the wall so that worshippers can get to know them. There is also a playground for the cats to have fun. The shrine staff said that not only these six cats, but if there are cats from outside, they will also provide food and water, just like a shelter. 📍Address: 〒770-8070 Mukajiyama 55, Hachiman-cho, Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture 🚗JR Bunka-no-Mori Station is a 30-minute walk away. #AprilGoodDestinations2025