The Cats of the Gokogu Shrine
Kazuhiro Sôda
Japan | 2024 | 113 | All Ages
In Japanese With English Subs
Regional Premiere

Gokogu is a small, ancient Shinto shrine in Ushimado, Japan. Home to dozens of street cats, it is also known as Cat Shrine. Some people visit Gokogu to feed the freely roaming stray cats. Others just come to see these cats or to take pictures of them. But some residents complain about the waste the cats leave around. Gokogu looks peaceful on the surface, but it is also the epicentre of a sensitive issue that divides the local community.

A gorgeous observational portrait of cats and men directed by one of the most respected Japanese documentary filmmakers, Kazuhiro Sôda (Inland Sea), and a warm and thoughtful invitation to observe how humans and animals can coexist, and how the titular shrine becomes a refuge for both.

“A gorgeous tribute to the independent felines, and the kind people who lived in harmony with them.” – Little White Lies

Contact the host of The Cats of the Gokogu Shrine | Bangalow Film Festival 2025

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