THE CATS OF GOKUGU SHRINE/ Gokogu no Neko

Japan, 2024, 119 minutes, Colour.

Directed by Kazuhiro Sôda.

Yes, many cats, especially in the early part of this film. We are in Japan, a small town which holds a popular Shinto shrine – the centre of prayer for the local people and for pilgrims. And it is something of a refuge for the wandering cats, Street cat’s (generally larger and will feed, plus some kittens – who are always cute!).

What is this film going to be. An explanation from the director.  The director calls The Cats Of Gokogu Shrine an ‘observational film’ made using Soda’s own ‘Ten Commandments’, which includes no research, no scripts, no pre-set theme, no narration, no voiceovers, background music or preproduction research,  and paying for his own production. These self-imposed rules are intended to minimise pre-conceptions and make way for unexpected discoveries.

So, first we discover the Cats. But then the action and the director’s interests move towards the inhabitants of the town, and quite some varying views about the Cats. There are some pleasing interviews with older people who have lived in Gokugo, have seen it prosper, have seen it settle. An old man who is quite articulate and good company as we listen to his reflections, meeting with a fisherman and a cheeky cat stealing his fish but also meeting with some tourists, especially a woman who can’t have a cat as a pet in her apartment block, feels overwhelmed by her work, and comes every couple of weeks or so to reunite with the cats and feel revived.

There is also a typhoon, the director himself involved, giving shelter to a ginger cat.

And then there is town Council and the director spending a lot of time at a meeting, perhaps too much time? enabling us to hear the various points of view about the prosperity or lack of prosperity of the town, and whether the cats are a blessing or whether they should be eliminated. There is an appeal this way to cat lovers as well as to those who would want to be rid of the cats. What about the mess the cats make around the town? More cats abandoned? Should there be a planned program for neutering? Or some terms for coexistence? And are they actually good for tourism?

A different excursion to Japan.