Hundreds of cats frolic and run free on an island as close to feline heaven as possible on this mortal coil.
Aoshima, or cat island in English, is a small patch of land just 0.2m/sq on the southern tip of Japan.
Back at the end of WWII around 900 people lived there, fishing in the waters, tilling the land and generally living a peaceful post-war existence.
Over the decades making a living on Aoshima became increasingly difficult as the sardine fisheries were depleted and people left for jobs in the city.
By 2019, just six people counted it as their homes.
As the human population was dwindling, the number of cats living on the island was taking off in a big way.
Felines left behind by those leaving for work elsewhere or succumbing to old age caused the number of cats - originally introduced to hunt mice - to swell into the hundreds.
Today as soon as you step off the boat onto Aoshima you are confronted with dozens of happy and domesticated cats, purring and meowing.
Various breeds are represented, with a large majority of orange and brown tabbies, as well as calicos.
In recent years its reputation has grown considerably, leading people from far flung corners of the Earth to visit, bringing treats for the cats with them.
As the island is so small, visitors are advised to bring food with them and respect the local residents, who may not love the idea of living in a tourist hotspot.
The cats of Aoshima are not too picky, surviving on the rice balls, energy bars or potatoes they cadge off tourists.
In the absence of natural predators, they roam the island without fear.
Those wanting to be surrounded by the joys of an island of cats may want to make a visit sooner rather than later.
In 2018 the authorities decided to implement a widespread neutering plan to reduce to local population from its peak of 200.
Today just a handful of cats managed to escape the splaying plot, thanks to a resident who objected to the plans.
The local ferry line is maintained for use by residents, not tourists, so if the resident population totally disappears, so will the ferries.
If that happens, then the cats - which are reliant on the food of humans - may have to get their bread buttered elsewhere.
