The Lost Cat Shrine
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Don’t you just hate it when your kittehs get a touch of the walkabout? Well now you can do something about it. A quick prayer at the Tachikawa Suitengu Shrine will have them back on your doorstep quicker than a twist of the can opener!
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Judging by the number of prayer plaques hung on the rack at this quiet shrine in Tachikawa, the local kami-sama are A+ at delivering lost felines back home, safe and sound.
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Offer your respects at this cheery-looking neko-guarded stone basin for starters…
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…then buy an ema at the shrine shop and step over to this stone pussycat…
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…and pen your wish for Growler’s safe return.
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After you’ve added it to the rack…
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…thank the kami-sama by giving the stone kitteh a little scritch behind the ears.
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As an added bonus, if you happen to have a baby at home that’s less than a hundred days old, their future teeth are in luck. Pick a stone from this sacred pile (they’re called “hakatame no ishi“) and take it home. Touch the stone with a pair of chopsticks, then touch the baby’s gums and say a prayer for good strong teeth. If you bring the rock back to the shrine, your young ‘un is guaranteed to have a long life and choppers of kryptonite.
If you’d like to visit the Lost Cat Shrine the next time you’re in Tokyo, a map is on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had .
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