[2025 Onomichi Attraction] Travel Guide for Cat Alley (Neko no Hosomichi) (Updated Jul)

Transportation: Take the train to JR Onomichi Station (Sanyo Main Line) and then walk for about 15 minutes or take the cable car uphill. After visiting Senkoji Temple, you can walk to Neko no Hosomichi (Cat Alley). Along the path, you'll find various stones painted with cat designs and decorations featuring cat motifs. For cat lovers, this is a memory-filled destination. You can't walk too fast, as you might spot cats of all sizes and shapes hidden in inconspicuous corners. Cat Alley also has a small Cat Shrine. It is unattended by humans and rarely visited by people. To draw a fortune slip, you first spin the cat stone. Next to the cat stone are four quadrants marked with a mouse, fish, bell, and paw print. Depending on where the cat stone stops, you pick a slip from the corresponding box. I drew the only bad fortune I've ever gotten in Japan here, but I think it might be because I had just visited Rabbit Island the day before, petting rabbits and even bringing them food, but I didn’t bring anything for the cats. Perhaps the Cat God was displeased, thinking, "Why are you here after petting rabbits?" Haha. The fortune wasn’t too bad, though—it mentioned that I was in a recharging period and things would improve later. To boost my luck, I could visit the Maneki Neko Museum and touch the lucky cat statues there. After leaving the Cat Shrine, I encountered a real cat. It was very calm and didn’t shy away even when I got close to take photos, though it refused to look at the camera. I secretly petted it a little. Since I didn’t touch the cats at the Maneki Neko Museum, I considered this cat as a substitute. However, I only saw this one real cat during my visit. Perhaps it was because I came during early summer at noon, and the weather was too hot, causing the cats to hide. If you want to meet real cats, it might be better to visit during cooler seasons or times of the day.

In addition to the Atomic Bomb Memorial Park in Hiroshima city, you can take the JR train eastward for about two hours to reach the charming town of Onomichi, which preserves traditional architecture and shopping streets. This town features old Japanese-style houses and walking paths built along the hills, numerous historic temples, and retro shopping streets filled with delicious food and fun activities. Near the walking paths, you'll often encounter many cats, and there's even a small shrine where you can draw cat-themed fortunes. Around Senkoji Temple, you'll find various unique rock formations, including massive boulders and the "Couple Rocks," which are known for their climbing ropes and are a popular spot for prayers. For those who prefer a more relaxed itinerary, taking the cable car or visiting the Onomichi Art Museum is highly recommended. (P.S. The museum's air conditioning is currently under repair and will not be open in July and August.)

【Onomichi｜A Walking Guide to Cat Alley】 Starting from the small path next to the ropeway at the foot of Senkoji Mountain, you’ll soon find yourself on the charming "Cat Alley." This winding path meanders between residential areas and the hillside, adorned with various cat-themed paintings, sculptures, and handmade decorations. Along the way, you’ll also discover a few hidden, uniquely styled cafes quietly nestled in the greenery. Despite its name, "Cat Alley" doesn’t have many actual cats roaming around. However, at the "Fukuishi Cat Shrine," you’ll encounter three cats seemingly on duty, making them a rare sight along the path. The shrine also offers a fun activity where you can spin a cat-shaped stone to receive a fortune, making it an interesting stop during your walk. The entire route is lush with greenery and exudes a relaxed atmosphere. Towards the latter part of the walk near Senkoji Temple, you’ll encounter more stairs. It’s recommended to start from the base of the mountain and walk upwards, as it’s easier on the knees compared to descending. This is an ideal route for a leisurely stroll, perfect for taking photos and enjoying the scenery.

Don’t miss Onomichi, a place full of hipster vibes, when visiting Hiroshima! This time we arranged a leisurely half-day tour, which is a paradise for cat lovers and a secret base for scenery lovers~ 🚡The trip starts from Onomichi Ropeway! It only takes a few minutes to walk from the bottom of the mountain to the cable car station. Take the Onomichi Cable Car all the way up and you can overlook the entire Onomichi city and the Seto Inland Sea. It's so relaxing. After arriving at Senkoji Park on the top of the mountain, you can also visit and take pictures of the cute Love Shrine❤️ 🐱The highlight is here: The Cat's Path! Walking down from Senkoji Temple, you will reach the legendary "Cat's Narrow Road", an old street alley full of hand-painted cat stones, mini statues and cats. Although you can't always see a lot of cats, this time we only encountered 2 cats playing around, some lying on the wall, some hiding in the corner, as if they were playing hide-and-seek~ 🍮How can you miss the "Onomichi Pudding" during the dessert time! This pudding shop is extremely popular in Onomichi. The pudding that appeared in the game "Ryu ga Tomoko" is worth a try even if you are not a fan of Ryu ga Tomoko. The store offers a variety of flavors of pudding in glass bottles, including original, coffee, and matcha. The accompanying syrup is served in a fish-shaped container that is often used to hold sushi soy sauce, which is also very clever. The matcha flavor is quite strong, and I bought some to eat on the train on the way back. 🧁There are coffee shops and grocery stores along the way, many of which are converted from old houses, giving off a hipster vibe. Time flies by while you stroll around, take photos, and have a drink. ⏳The whole route takes about 2 to 3 hours to walk slowly. After the walk, you can leisurely drink a cup of coffee and enjoy the railway scenery, or go to the shopping street to eat the famous Onomichi ramen. It is a very comfortable and not tiring half-day trip! 📍 Onomichi Ropeway Station｜Senkoji Mountain Rope 🕒 Business hours｜9:00–17:15 (every 15 minutes) 💰 Ticket price｜One way 320 yen, round trip 500 yen 📍 Senkoji Park, Cat's Path｜It is recommended to wear comfortable walking shoes, as some sections of the path are slopes or stone steps 🚃 Transportation｜Take the Shinkansen from Hiroshima to Shin-Onomichi Station, then take a bus to Onomichi Station (or a taxi for about 10 minutes) — #Onomichi #Cat's Path #Senkoji Park #Onomichi Cable Car #Hiroshima Free Travel #Japan Half Day Tour #Literary Travel #Dragon of Humanity Pudding #Onomichi Dessert #Japanese Cat Attractions #japantravel #ononichi #Hiroshima Attractions #Cat Lover Travel #Cat Walking Route #Seto Inland Sea #Daidai Takes You to Play #AprilGoodDestinations2025

Access: Basically everything is walkable from Onomichi Station Tourist attractions: Onomichi Shopping Street, Senkoji Temple, Neko no Hosomichi Meals & Restaurants: Onomichi Ramen Shopping: U2, Onomichi Shopping Street 9:00 Arrive Onomichi Station (About 30 minutes on foot or by ropeway) 10:00 Senkoji Temple 11:00 Neko no Hosomichi 13:00 Onomichi Ramen In the afternoon, shop and eat your way around the shopping street, then have coffee at a cafe

The Cat Path that Onomichi has been promoting in recent years is actually a small path that stretches several hundred meters from Genjinja Shrine. It was first created in 1998 by the artist Kaenyama Haruji, who placed a "Lucky Stone Cat" with a cat painted on a stone that he made himself. It has now become an art installation path. Onomichi officials estimate that there are thousands of Fukuishi cats of various sizes placed on the narrow road. Passing through the dilapidated low houses, you will find a cat shrine with many lucky stone cats placed inside. When you want to draw a lot, you turn the stone and draw from the basket that contains the pattern it points to. The stone steps at the entrance are also painted with cat patterns, and when you turn a corner, there are also lucky stone cats on the steps. Of course there are real cats, but there are too many tourists visiting the Cat Path, so the cats just jump off the roof of the old house and escape. The experience here is different from that of Cat Island. It is more like an interactive art at the Setouchi Art Festival, creating a fun experience of finding cats by searching for the Fukuishi cats on the trails, cat murals, or woodcut paintings. Through these interactions, the vacant and abandoned old houses can be transformed into art galleries or cafes, finding another possibility for their continued existence. 📍Address: 〒722-0033 Hiroshima Prefecture Onomichi City Higashidodo-cho 19-26 🚗It takes about 18 minutes to walk from Onomichi Station along the shopping street to Genjinja Shrine. The path next to it is the Cat's Path. Or take the bus to Changjiangkou Station and walk for four minutes. #MarchGoodPlaces2025

📍Cat's Narrow Road 🏷️ 19-26 Higashidodo-cho, Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, 722-0033 🚶♀️ 15 minutes walk from JR Sanyo Main Line Onomichi Station 🚗Free parking available for 25 regular cars and 3 large cars 🕐24 hours 🗓️Open every day 🚗Senkoji Park Parking Lot: 600 yen 📝 "Cat's Narrow Road" is a narrow alleyway that runs from the left side of Ushitora Shrine, the oldest shrine in Onomichi, to the end of the road, and continues for about 200 meters on both sides. Cafes, bars, accessory shops, art museums, gardens, and more are renovated from old houses along Cat's Narrow Road. It's a spot where you can enjoy just by walking around here. Please take a look! #FreeHotelStay

Speaking of Onomichi City, cats 🐈 There is a 200-meter-long street called Neko no Hosomichi, where there are several shops that have been renovated from vacant houses. There are also narrow slopes all over Onomichi, and while exploring, I found concrete with cat paw prints on it 🐾 The shape and size were so cute that I couldn't help but take a picture of my feet 📸 There were actually cats everywhere, relaxing. Some cats were even glaring at me lol Anyway, there are so many slopes and stairs that it's tiring, but it was a wonderful city with a quaint atmosphere. I hope everyone will explore Onomichi ~ ✈︎---------------------------------------------✈︎ 📍: Neko no Hosomichi, Onomichi City 📸: iPhone 13 Pro ✈︎---------------------------------------------✈︎ #Domestic Travel Record #Hiroshima #Hiroshima Tourism #Hiroshima Trip #Onomichi #Onomichi Tourism #Onomichi Trip #Narrow Cat Road

The area around Senkoji Temple in Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, is an area filled with historic buildings and charming streets. Cats can be seen lazily relaxing in the maze-like scenery of narrow alleys and stairs. This area is packed with tourist attractions and is a great walking spot where you can fully enjoy the atmosphere of Onomichi. [Charms around Senkoji Temple] 1. A must-see for cat lovers! "Cat's Narrow Alley" The small alleyway "Cat's Narrow Alley" that runs from Senkoji Temple to the Onomichi Hondori Shopping Street is a mecca for cat lovers. Along the way, there are many ceramic and wooden carvings of cats, and cute cats will welcome you wherever you look. There are many real stray cats, and you may even meet some friendly ones. Try finding your own favorite cat while walking through the maze-like streets. ② A panoramic view of Onomichi from the Senkoji Ropeway The Senkoji Ropeway, which heads to the top of Mount Senkoji, is a means of transportation that allows you to enjoy the spectacular view of Onomichi's cityscape and the Seto Inland Sea from the air. The view of the retro houses and Onomichi Channel from the ropeway is exceptional, and you'll be excited even before you reach the top. There are also cafes and souvenir shops scattered around the base of the mountain station, making it a great place to take a break before or after a walk. ③The Three-Storied Pagoda of Tenneiji, with its historic scent The three-storey pagoda of Tenneiji, standing near the Cat's Alley, was built in the Edo period and is a symbol of Onomichi. The bright vermilion tower peeking out from between the trees is one of the most typical views of Onomichi. The area around the three-storey pagoda is quiet, and you can feel the weight of history and the calm atmosphere. In spring, the contrast with the cherry blossoms is beautiful, and it is perfect for photos. 【Tips for visiting】 ◯ Early morning is recommended The morning is quiet before the number of tourists increases, and the cats are relaxing. It's also a great place to take a leisurely stroll and take photos. Walking around the town around Senkoji Temple is a special experience that allows you to fully experience the charm of Onomichi. Come and spend a memorable time in this area where you can enjoy history, cats, nature, and the atmosphere of the town all at once! #FuriTabiWinter #Onomichi #Cat's Narrow Road #0 Yen Trip

Located in Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, [Hanutei] is quietly located in the Cat Alley! I got a little lost, but I arrived by looking at the map! You have to take off your shoes before entering. The interior is small and there are about four seats, and there are many things that make you feel nostalgic! The recommended seats are by the window, from which you can see the cityscape of Onomichi. There are also notebooks for writing down your travel memories, so please feel free to write them down✨ I ordered a set of matcha and black honey agar! The gentle taste was comforting☺️ Business hours 10:00-17:00 📍11-30 Higashidodo-cho, Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture #0 yen travel autumn #Onomichi sightseeing #Hiroshima trip #Hanutei

The "Cat's Narrow Road" in Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture is a very popular spot for cat lovers and art lovers! As the name suggests, many cats are relaxing on the narrow path, making you feel as if you have wandered into a cat town. There are also cat-related art pieces scattered around, making it an area where you can enjoy a photogenic stroll. 1. Take a leisurely stroll with cats 🐱 Onomichi is famous as a cat town, but there are especially many cats living in the "Cat's Narrow Road". As you walk along the path, you will be greeted by cats relaxing, and cat lovers will enjoy a relaxing time. Not only can you meet cats, but it is also fun to capture their carefree appearances on camera 📸. 2. Make a wish with the "Lucky Stone Cat" 🎨 The Cat's Narrow Road is dotted with cat art made of stones called "Lucky Stone Cats" created by artists. Each cat is handmade, expressive and unique. One of the fun things to do is to find your favorite Fukuishi cat and take a photo of it. It is also said that Fukuishi cats bring good luck, and are known as power spots. 3. Enjoy the gentle scenery of Onomichi as well🌸 The Cat's Narrow Path is located on a part of the slope of Onomichi, and you can look down on the whole town while walking. Combined with the retro atmosphere of Onomichi, you can interact with the cats as time flows slowly, so just walking around is soothing. "Onomichi Cat's Narrow Path" is a perfect place for cat lovers, as well as those who want to enjoy a leisurely stroll through the town. Spend a special time enjoying cats, art, and the scenery of Onomichi. Thank you for reading to the end. If you have been there! If you have other recommended spots! We look forward to your comments. In addition, all the photos posted were taken by myself, and unauthorized use and reproduction are prohibited. #OnomichiTrip #Cat'sNarrowPath #FukuishiCat #CatSpot #HealingTrip

If you want to overlook the entire city of Onomichi, Senkoji Temple is the best spot. The observation deck here is also very creative, with one half spiraling upwards and the other half going straight up and down. You can choose the path you prefer. The view from here is absolutely stunning in the summer. The photos taken under the blue sky and white clouds turn out very well. As for Senkoji Temple itself, I only took pictures of two places: one is this pile of little monks in the temple, which seems to be where people buy little monk statues to make wishes, and the other is the large Kannon statue. It appears that the main deity worshipped at Senkoji Temple is Kannon. Halfway down the mountain, there is the famous Cat Alley. This path initially had lucky cat stones placed along it, and it gradually evolved into a path filled with lucky cat stones, hence the name Cat Alley. However, this path is actually quite dilapidated because the surrounding houses seem uninhabited, and many are almost ruins. Although Cat Alley is named after the lucky cat stones, there are actually real cats living here. Today, I encountered three of them, plus one more at the top of the mountain, making a total of four. Onomichi itself is also a city of cats, and if the weather isn't too hot, the chances of encountering cats on the mountain are higher. Senkoji Temple is about a 15-minute walk from Onomichi Station towards the shopping street. You can choose to take the cable car up or walk up. A one-way ticket costs 500 yen, and a round trip costs 700 yen. I personally recommend taking the cable car up and walking down, so you can also explore Cat Alley on the way down. Additionally, there are few shades on the mountain in summer, so make sure to take sun protection measures.

#0yentravel #Hiroshima #Hiroshimatourism #Onomichi 📍Location: 19-26 Higashidodocho, Onomichi, Hiroshima 722-0033 Cat alley in Onomichi, Hiroshima If you walk down a small alley, you will suddenly see cats. There are also cafes and restaurants here and there, so if you get tired of walking, you can take a break. 🙆♀️ For cat lovers, it is a really happy and happy space to be able to meet many cats while walking through the alleys with a nice atmosphere. Many of the cats are used to people, so it is also an attractive place that you can touch them. It is located at a high altitude, so you can see the city of Onomichi!

#Travelwithme Taking the ropeway up Mount Senkoji, then walking back down. Then, suddenly, the world of cats appears. Why cats all of a sudden? While thinking about that, various cats appear one after another. You can immerse yourself in an extraordinary sensation as if you have wandered into another world. Not only are there cat art painted on the walls, but everything, including stones and ornaments, is a cat. Of course, if you are lucky, you can meet a real cat. If you want something sweet, go to "Oyatsu to Yamaneko" in front of Onomichi Station. The Onomichi pudding here is excellent. It is a masterpiece that will soothe your travel fatigue.

Cat Alley 🐈 I don't know if I'll be able to meet a real cat! Even if I don't, I can feel the presence of cats everywhere on the alley ❤️A must-see for cat lovers👍