Are you a feline fanatic? Then Japan is the purr-fect tourist destination for you! With 11 islands filled with cats, they put Japan’s own cat cafes to shame. These islands were populated by fishermen centuries ago, who brought along their kitty friends for pest control; today, there are more cats than permanent resident in most of these areas. Here are five Cat Islands to get all the cat-lovers excited!

For those closest to Tokyo, the top island of interest would be Enoshima, an island in the neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture. Enoshima, which is connected to the mainland by a bridge across the street from the Katase-Enoshima Station, is most well-known for its famous cave shrine and its vast beaches. In between the surfers, swimmers, and partygoers weave hundreds of cats.

Okishima is a floating island in Lake Biwa, the largest freshwater depository in Japan. Visitors need to hitch a ride on a boat from Horiki Port to get to the island. With 350 total residents, the fishing community is so small that a bicycle is a viable mode of transportation. Therefore, all of the cats are never threatened by car collisions.

Sanagishima is located in the Inland Sea, where fishing settlements can be found in abundance due to the temperate climate of the area. Sanagishima is on the coast of Kagawa, which is Japan’s smallest prefecture. A boat ride from Tadotsu Port will transport you to a quaint town teeming with cats of all shapes and sizes.

Ehime Prefecture’s Aoshima Island may well be the most famous of the bunch; with only 15 permanent residents, there are roughly 6 times as many cats. However, with its reputation, the visiting requirements are strict. There is a 34-person maximum on the island for tourists at any given time, and there’s no overnight stays for visitors. The very small town of elderly residents does not offer any lodging or food for tourists, only their abundance of cats. If you visit, don’t forget to pack foods and beverages, before heading to Nagahama Port.

Another hotspot would be Genkaishima, an island in Fukuoka City, the prefectural capital and largest city in the region. This Cat Island used to be Japan’s largest island-based group of cats, until the community was devastated by an earthquake in 2005. However, the cat population is slowly on an incline once again. Visitors can reach Genkaishima from Hakata Port.

These are just some of the most popular islands. VIsiting these areas not only helps the economies of each region, they promote proper care for cats around the world. If you ever happen to be in Japan, go check out one of these Cat Islands!