Here is a concise summary of the provided transcript:
**Title:** Visiting Tashiro Island (Cat Island), Japan
**Itinerary:**
1. **Sendai Station** → **Ishinomaki Station** (1-hour train ride with manga-themed train)
2. **Ishinomaki Station** → **Ishinomaki Ferry Terminal** (17-minute walk or 15-minute bus ride)
3. **Ferry to Tashiro Island (Cat Island)** (40-minute ride, round-trip ticket: ¥2,500 / $17.9 USD)
**Tashiro Island (Cat Island) Experience:**
* **Cat Encounters:** Meet over 100 island cats, known for their friendly nature
* **Island Facts:**
+ 2.92 km², circumference of 11 km
+ Population: ~50 people, >100 cats
+ Famous for oysters, abalone, and natural beauty
* **Rules:**
+ Don't feed the cats (islanders feed them); donate food if desired
+ Take trash home
* **Attractions:**
+ Shima-no-Eki (cafe for humans and cats)
+ Neko (Cat) Shrine
+ "Manga Island" (camping site, closed in autumn/winter)
**Return Journey:**
* Two afternoon ferries back to Ishinomaki Ferry Station
* Estimated arrival at Sendai Station: around 4:00 pm
**Recommendation:**
* Visit in spring or autumn for optimal cat encounters
* Consider combining with a trip to Zao Fox Village
Here are the extracted key facts, numbered and in short sentences, excluding opinions:
**Location & Transportation**
1. The starting location is Sendai Station in Miyagi Prefecture.
2. To reach Cat Island, first head to Ishinomaki Station (about 1 hour by train).
3. A special train with manga characters by Shotaro Ishinomori may be available.
4. The train from Sendai to Ishinomaki was restored after being hit by the 2011 earthquake.
5. The ferry terminal ("Ishinomaki Chuo Hacchakujo") is a 17-minute walk or 15-minute bus ride from Ishinomaki Station.
6. Ferry tickets can be purchased from vending machines supporting Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean.
7. Round-trip ferry tickets to Tashiro Island cost 2,500 yen (approximately 17.9 USD / 17.3 EUR) per person.
8. The ferry ride from the terminal to Tashirojima takes about 40 minutes.
**Tashiro Island (Cat Island)**
9. The official name of Cat Island is "Tashiro Island".
10. The island has an area of 2.92 km² and a circumference of 11 km.
11. The population is about 50 people, with over 100 cats.
12. Tashiro Island is famous for its oysters and abalone.
13. The cats are fed by the islanders; visitors are not allowed to feed them for health reasons.
14. Donations of cat food can be made through designated boxes on the road.
15. Visitors must take their trash home with them.
16. There is a restaurant on the island, and also a cafe (Shima-no-Eki) that welcomes cats.
17. Cats have set meal times, including 12:00 noon at the cafe.
**History & Culture**
18. Tashiro Island used to produce cocoons and kept cats to protect them from rats.
19. The island has a thriving fishing industry and fishermen once predicted weather/sea conditions by observing cat behavior.
20. Cats are considered guardian deities by the fishermen.
21. The island was hit by a 10-meter tsunami during the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.
22. The island recovered gradually with cat food and international donations.
**Other**
23. The cats on the island are neither house cats nor stray cats but are referred to as "communally owned cats".
24. Visitors are not allowed to bring island cats home or leave their own cats on the island.
25. The cats are regularly checked by a veterinarian.
26. There is a Neko (Cat) Shrine on the island, originated from a fisherman mourning a cat.
27. Only two ferries return to Ishinomaki ferry station in the afternoon.