The Cats of Gokogu Shrine

The Shinto shrine Gokogu in the Japanese coastal town of Ushimado is home to a colony of stray cats. This film calmly observes how the animals have made a life here, waiting to be thrown some fish, sheltering during a rain shower.

As in his previous documentaries Peace (2010) and Inland Sea (2018), director Kazuhiro Soda takes a distinctively patient and amiable approach to his subjects, whether he’s taking the time to observe, or striking up a conversation. The cats might be the main characters, but this is also a portrait of the people who come and go at the shrine.

The volunteers who feed the cats, wipe dirt from their eyes and catch them to have them sterilized in an attempt to reduce the population. The woman who explains that she isn’t allowed to keep cats at home. The 80-year-old gardener, who isn’t too keen on the cats pooping in his flower beds. With understanding, Soda documents the differences of opinion, but ultimately The Cats of Gokogu Shrine shows how this place is a refuge for both humans and cats.