Odoriba Station is located in Izumi Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture. An extremely unique feature of the station is its elaborate dedication to bakeneko or “changed cats.” Bakeneko are part of Japanese folklore – they are mythological entities in the form of a cat with various supernatural abilities. Some bakeneko engage in mischief and pranks, while other legends recall tales of revenge. Regarding Odoriba Station, it is said that the station sits on the site of a popular legend. The owner of a soy sauce shop discovered that hand towels would go missing night after night. One day, the owner went outside and found bakeneko dancing on their hind quarters wearing the towels wrapped around their heads, with their tabby cat participating, and actually leading, in the dancing. The owner’s wife would wash the towels and dress the tabby cat, which ceased the disappearance in the towels. The station and surrounding area was made over to memorialize this event and the bakeneko.
Image courtesy of SoraNews 24 – Japan News IMAGE LINK
The Ghastly Historian 
