Cozy Japanese neighborhood street cat nap
Tranquil Japanese street with warmly lit buildings and a napping cat.

Inami: Yokamachi-dori (Cat Street)

Still dusty from exploring an abandoned clinic, on the way back to the car I chance upon a very pretty little street.

Over there, a first cat is eyeing me. Another, more timid, stays hidden in its clay pot. Then another beckons me into a small shop. They are all beautiful, made from wood, and harmoniously bidding me welcome to Inami!

Inami Yokamachi Street
Inami Yokamachi Street

This ancient stone-paved street, Yokamachi-dori, is the historic centre of the city. At the far end is the Zuisen-ji Temple, whose story begins with a drama: in 1763, flames engulfed the temple and razed it to the ground.

Inami Yokamachi Street
Inami Yokamachi Street

The town commissioned Sanjirō Maegawa, a sculptor from Kyoto widely recognized for his work, especially in Hongan-ji, to carry out the reconstruction. Once his work was finished, he taught his wood-carving skills to four local artisans, who in turn would pass it on to future generations. Today there’s said to be around 200 woodcarving experts. They use around a hundred different chisels!

Since 2018, Inami has been listed as a Japanese heritage site. Inns and businesses have been restored, and cats have settled in there to capture our inner feline. Officially there’s 26 of them to look out for, but amateur woodcarvers amuse themselves by hiding others.

The Japanese are passionate about ranking and recognition of all kinds, and Inami is included in a rather curious collection, “100 Soundscapes of Japan” (残したい日本の音風景100選). The idea is to promote certain pleasant environments by mixing the sounds of Japanese everyday life with those of nature. In other words, shut your eyes and listen!

Having found most of Inami’s cats, I stop by an attractive little stall in the middle of the street. There I find this cat with a very Japanese grin on its face, lapping up a good beer. I can’t resist it; this cat now sits proudly on my desk, reminding me every day that Japan may not be the land of sobriety, but it may well be the land of cats.

And for more awesome content about Japan, follow Jordy Meow on Instagram ! 🎵

Who Am I

Jordy Meow
This is me!

I am Jordy Meow, a French photographer based in Tokyo. I explore offbeat places in Japan.

Instagram

Wisteria drapes, Crimson bridges whisper peace, Shrine of time's embrace. --- 藤が垂れ、 赤い橋が囁く、 時を抱く社。 --- #WisteriaDreams #CrimsonBridge #ShintoSerenity #NatureHarmony #JapaneseGardens #offbeatjapan #japan
Vintage bottles gleam, Dim light whispers through the dust— Time's whispers linger.時の囁き 朽ちた光に舞い 瓶は輝く#offbeatjapan #japan #urbanexploration #forgottenplaces #haikupoetry #moodygrams #nostalgia
Wood beams whisper tales, Red tiles echo journeys past, Vintage charm in stills. 木の梁が語り、 赤いタイルが過去の旅を響かせる、 ヴィンテージの魅力。#offbeatjapan #japan #vintagecharm #traditionalarchitecture #rusticbeauty #ruraljapan #oldworld魅力
Weathered timbers sigh, Whispers of rust weave through beams— Echoes of the past.---風化した木材がため息をつき、 錆びの囁きが梁を抜ける— 過去のこだま。---#rusticjapan #historicdecay #machiya #traditionaljapan #japanarchitecture #offbeatjapan #japan
Sunlight weaves through leaves, Moss whispers to Jizō's grace— Silent guardian. 光が差し込む 苔が地蔵の優雅さを語る— 静かな守護者。 #offbeatjapan #japan #japanesegarden #jizostatue #serenity #mossmagic #spiritualjourney #natureworship
Thatched roofs whisper tales, Green hills cradle time's embrace— Wires sketch future dreams. 茅葺屋根 物語を語る 緑の丘に抱かれて— 未来を描く糸。 #offbeatjapan #japan #traditionandmodernity #ruraljapan #thatchedroofs #natureandtechnology #historicalarchitecture
Wisteria dreams, Purple waves in azure sky, Nature's soft embrace. ウィステリアの夢、 青空に揺れる紫、 自然の優しい抱擁。 #WisteriaWonder #FujiMatsuri #WisteriaFestival #JapanNature #BloomingBliss #offbeatjapan #japan
Rust and gray mingle, Path of ropes winds through the cliffs— Emerald pools gleam.---錆と灰混じる、 崖間綱道行く— 翡翠の池輝く。 ---#offbeatjapan #japan #abandonedbeauty #ruggedlandscapes #hiddenjapan #volcanicbeauty #naturelovers