Ogijima Island is not just an island of cats, an 📌 island that plays in the gaze of tourism

When I first set foot on Ogijima Island, most of the words that came to mind were "This is the island of cats" that I often see on social media. It is true that the island is small and can be circled in less than two hours, and the appearance of cats can be seen everywhere. However, when you actually visit, you will find that this island is not only about cats.

During the field survey on August 1, we interviewed Yamato Fukui, the director of the Ogijima Life Research Institute. The regional revitalization he is promoting is not only based on the tourism effects of the Setouchi Art Festival, but also on returning to the educational foundation, which is the basis of the sustainable development of the region. He is starting with the reconstruction of his alma mater and is trying to rekindle the spark of hope on the island. In his words, "Only the laughter of children can bring hope to an island that is aging."

Based on this philosophy, Ogijima has seen an increase in new residents in recent years, many of whom are digital nomads who work remotely. They seek a relaxed rhythm of life where they can live on foot and Outbound to Downtown by boat, and they find opportunities to interact with people and the warmth of everyday life in this land.

However, the presence of "cats" has also brought new challenges to the island. Squid cat packs brought by humans have required many adjustments to the daily lives of the original inhabitants due to differences in hygiene and cultural values. Even cat-loving residents are not necessarily in favor of promoting cats as a tourist attraction.

Matsumoto, another Subject reporter, runs a guesthouse and café called "Sunset and Cat House," which actively embraces the image of cats, attracting the attention of overseas travelers, and has become a daily intersection where new residents meet and interact with each other. He said, "Because of these cats, people can have a common topic and Gari of life on the island."

Beyond the tourist gaze, Ogijima shows the warmth of everyday life that is not just about pleasing someone. It is the temperature created by the accumulation of cultures, and it is a new chapter that the island is quietly writing at the intersection of the old and the new – Ogijima is not just an "island of cats" but an "island of hope and culture."

[Photo and text: Cai Bing-hsiang, Wang Luhua, Huang Zhicheng]
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Ogijima 不只是貓島 📌 觀光stare 下的重生島嶼

初次踏上Ogijima,腦中浮現的多半是社群裡那句「這是貓的島」。 確實,島不大,兩小時內可走完,貓蹤隨處可見。 但真正走進來,才發現這座島嶼的樣貌,遠不止於貓。
On August 1st, Dr. Yamato Fukui, the responsible person of the Ogijima Life Research Institute. 他所推動的地方創生,並不單以瀨戶內海藝術祭所帶動的觀光效益為出發點,而是回歸地方永續發展最根本的核心——教育基礎建設。 他選擇從讓自己的母校復甦著手,重新點火島上的希望。 正如他所言:「唯有孩子的笑聲,才能為高齡化的島嶼注入hope。

在這樣的理念引領下,Ogijima recent years suction 愈來愈多新住,其中不少是從事遠距工作的數位nomad ethnicity。 他們嚮往步行即可生活、搭船便能往返市區的緩慢節奏,也在這片地上找到與人交流的機會與日常的溫度。

然而,「貓」的出現,也為島嶼帶來新的挑戰。 這些因「人」而來的貓群,為原有居民的日常增添了不少管理上的考驗,在衛生維護與文化觀念之間,出現了不同立場的磨合空間。 即便是喜歡貓的居民,也不一定支持將貓作為觀光主軸。

另一位受客者松本先生,所經營的guesthouse與咖啡廳「Sunset and Cat House」,則展現出另一種possibilities。 他選擇擁抱貓的形象,吸引國際旅人的目光,也成為新住彼此相遇與交流的日常交會點。 他說:「這些貓,讓人們在島上有了共同的話題與生活的連結。

在觀光視之外,Ogijima Exhibition 現出一種不為取悅而活的日常感,那是文化累積而來的溫度,也是新舊交會之中,島嶼正悄然書寫的嶄新篇章——它不只是「貓島」,更是「希望與文化之島」。

[圖、文/蔡炆璇、王璐hua、黃志成]