Hidden Tokyo: A Guide to Yanesen ( Yanaka, Nezu & Sendagi )
Living in Yanesen – Insights and Stories from a Local Guide
Beyond the first impressions and "must-see" spots, Yanesen reveals its true character through the quiet rhythms of daily life. In this series, we look past the landmarks to explore the neighborhood as a place where people live, work, and grow. These are the stories of the familiar streets, morning routines, and small, meaningful moments that make Yanesen not just a destination, but a home..
◆ Episode 7: The Cats of Yanaka
Once known mainly as an old downtown neighborhood filled with temples and narrow backstreets, Yanaka has also become famous—both in Japan and abroad—as “the town of cats.” The area’s quiet alleys and temple grounds have always made it a natural place for people and cats to coexist.
Back in the late 1980s through the 1990s, when spaying and neutering were still uncommon, stray cats could be found everywhere, blending easily into everyday life. Even around twenty years ago, when I first moved to the Yanesen area, it was still common to see cats lounging in temple courtyards or napping in the shade of narrow lanes.
These days, thanks to the efforts of local residents and volunteer groups, more cats live under proper care, and the number of strays has gradually decreased—a quiet but positive change.
A few years before the pandemic, there were still a handful of stray and outdoor cats around my neighborhood. One of them—a chubby, timid orange tabby—often caught my eye. He started hanging around a nearby house, sunbathing under the eaves, and eventually began receiving food from the family there. I nicknamed him Gar-chan, and over time he became a familiar presence on my walks. Even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gar-chan kept to his own rhythm, wandering about as if nothing had changed. Then one day, I noticed a small note posted near his usual spot: Gar-chan had been adopted by a local family who wanted to give him a permanent home. It was wonderful news—but I couldn’t help feeling a little wistful, knowing I wouldn’t be seeing him around anymore.
Stories like Gar-chan’s are becoming more common in Yanaka. The reduction of stray cats is a good sign—a result of dedicated community care and protection efforts that will surely continue. Yet at the same time, Yanaka’s image as “the cat town” has taken on a life of its own. Since the early 2000s, as tourism promotion and social media grew, the area’s “cat culture” became part of its identity. Cat-shaped sweets, feline-themed goods, and cozy cafés line the local shopping streets, attracting visitors from around the world. Some shops even have friendly kanban neko—resident cats who quietly welcome guests, just as they always have.
It’s a curious thing: the real cats of Yanaka have grown fewer, yet the idea of the “cat town” continues to spread far and wide. Perhaps that’s simply the way Yanaka evolves—holding on to its warmth and charm, even as its stories change shape. So next time you’re here, take a stroll through this “town of cats,” and enjoy discovering its feline touches scattered through the streets.
Yanesen’s beauty lies not just in what you see, but in what you remember—small, quiet moments that stay with you, long after the cats have wandered out of sight.
