Aoshima (Japanese: 青島, Hepburn: Aoshima), also known as Cat Island (Japanese: 猫の島, Hepburn: Neko no shima), is an island in Ehime Prefecture, Japan, known for its large number of feline residents and small number of people.

[note 1] Cats were introduced to combat rodents on fishing boats but remained on the island and reproduced in large numbers.

However, with years the sardine trade has dwindled and the majority of people abandoned the island to seek better life on the mainland.

The Aoshima Elementary School was closed in March 1979 and has since been used as a community center, and is currently used as a temporary accommodation facility for visitors to the island.

Due to weather conditions (typhoons, heavy rains, strong winds), abandoned houses have collapsed and blocked some roads.

[1] Aoshima is accessible via a ferry departing from in front of JR Iyo-Nagahama Station in Port Nagahama, which takes around 30 minutes.