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Monday, 22nd February 2016
In Japan Entertainment News,
Japan celebrates its annual Cat Day
It’s a well-known fact that the Japanese love their felines, so it won’t come as much of a surprise to many that the country has an annual Cat Day.
The event, which is now in its 30th year, is being celebrated today (February 22nd) and is a great way to honour our furry friends.
Across Japanese social media it is difficult to get away from cat-related content at the best of times, but things just went into overdrive.
From pictures of cats and feline memes to posts dedicated to food created in cat shape, manga and videos, dog-lovers should keep away for one day only.
If you’re wondering why February 22nd was chosen as Cat Day in Japan, then there’s a very scientific reason behind it.
Japanese cats are said to make a nyan nyan nyan sound, which is not dissimilar to the ni ni ni, which is how the numerals 2/22 are pronounced in the country’s native language.
All areas of Japanese culture are getting involved, with cosplayers dressing up as animated cats and donning nekomimi, which are headbands featuring stylised cat ears.
With 29 previous Cat Days having occurred, the occasion has gained much popularity and shops across the country now release special items to coincide with the day.
Whether you want a donut shaped like a cat, a biscuit or even a rice ball, you will be catered for in the streets of Tokyo today.
One bakery to head for is Ikumi Mama, as it has built up a reputation for creating donuts that resemble animals, with cats being one of its specialities.
It will no doubt be going all out for Cat Day in making delicious sweet treats with ears and feline faces.
While Japan is not the only country in the world to have a Cat Day, it is safe to say it’s the most enthusiastic about this annual event.
After all, cats are highly revered in Japan; just look at the story of Tama the stationmaster cat and you’ll realise how these fluffy creatures are taken into the nation’s heart.
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