Inside an Abandoned School!? Discover Japan’s Most Heartwarming Cat Shelter🏫🐈

Inside an Abandoned School!? Discover Japan’s Most Heartwarming Cat Shelter🏫🐈

Visiting an amazing cat shelter in Japan! An abandoned school turned into a cat shelter!? Enjoy this mysterious and heartwarming trip. Good morning! I’m at Okayama Station. Today, I’m off to explore a unique cat shelter in Japan. Believe it or not, it’s located in an abandoned school. Okayama is about three hours from Tokyo by bullet train. From here, it’s another hour into the mountains to reach the shelter. I switch to a bus at Sōja Station for a 40-minute ride. I’ve arrived at the “Yamato Elementary School” bus stop! That must be the cat shelter I’ve heard about! It’s called Tierheim Primary School. It’s called a primary school, but it was actually a junior high.
“Tierheim” means “animal home” in German. Hello—? Huh, no one’s here. It looks like a stylish café… but it’s actually an abandoned school. It seems the staff and cats are up in the classrooms on the second floor. In 2019, this school was reborn as a shelter for rescued cats. So why is it called an elementary school if it used to be a junior high? Cats who have lost their homes come here, meet new families, and then “graduate.” That image reminded them of elementary school kids—so they named it “Tierheim PrimarySchool.” This is the second floor where the cats live. The staff are working, so I’m allowed to explore the classrooms on my own. There are four classrooms in total. This one is Class 1. Each classroom has about 7 to 9 cats. The classrooms have been remodeled just for the cats! Visitors are welcome every day, and adoption events are held on Sundays. Let’s start the tour with Class 1. For safety, the door is kept locked. Hey there. A cat was waiting to ambush me😂 So cute. They’re super friendly! I used to think rescue cats were shy around people. But that image was shattered right away! He looks so relaxed. Each cat here has a different reason for being rescued. Some were found near homes, and others lost their owners due to illness or old age. About half of the cats here were once pets, and the other half were strays. They each “enroll” here with their own story. This cat tower is awesome! The classrooms are designed to be comfortable for the cats. I feel like I’m being watched… I can’t seem to make it to the back of the room😂 The cats keep blocking my path. You guys are just too cute. (What is this?) And now he’s asleep. Some of the cats here still aren’t used to people. Each classroom has an air purifier and air conditioning! They didn’t have AC before, but a crowdfunding campaign helped raise money to install it! ? So that’s where you were hiding🤣 The cats are also allowed to go out onto the balcony. Most of the cats have already been spayed or neutered, but new arrivals might not be yet. But don’t worry—there’s no chance of kittens here. Each cat has a name. You can see their birthdays, personalities, and vaccination records. “He’s cool but loves being spoiled.
If he’s in a good mood, he might sit on your lap—he’s a gentle cat.” Looks like he’s found a family! I’m so happy for him🥹 Now let’s head over to Class 2! Just like Class 1, there’s another amazing cat tower! The cats in this room are pretty calm. Maybe they’re all in nap mode. Too cute to handle! No explanation needed—just pure cuteness. Time flows gently in this world of cats. I love it. Let me take a moment to talk about how Tierheim Primary School came to be. This is Japan’s first cat shelter built in an abandoned school and run by a non-profit organization. There are many cat shelters in Japan, but most are small and can’t take in many cats. They wanted to create a spacious, safe place for cats to live peacefully. That’s when they turned their attention to the growing number of abandoned school buildings. In Japan, about 450 schools close every year—and there are already around 7,600 of them nationwide. That led to the idea of repurposing one of these schools as a shelter for rescued cats. And they found the perfect school with an ideal environment for cats! A 3-story school building on 4,000 tsubo of land, with a large field and gym—now all devoted entirely to cats! The area is surrounded by greenery and has a calm, gentle climate. It truly is the perfect place for cats to live. And now, about 30 cats are living here peacefully and comfortably. Now I’m in Class 3! This class also had lots of friendly cats. I hope you all find wonderful families. The shelter holds adoption events on Sundays. If you meet certain conditions, you can adopt one of these cats🐈 For example, providing a suitable living environment and getting consent from your whole family. Also, only those who can come to the shelter in person may adopt. Most importantly, adopters must be committed to loving their cat for life—no matter what happens. If there’s a good match, you’ll start with a one-month trial period before officially becoming their family. Look at those cute ears. Even from below, she’s adorable. This room has a cat with very unique eyes. She has heterochromia—each eye is a different color. It’s very rare in humans, but about 25% of white cats have it. So beautiful. And she’s 16 years old, born in 2009! That’s around 80 in human years! I hope she lives a long and happy life. Now onto Class 4! Oh no, looks like someone might be trying to sneak out. Hello, everyone! A bunch of cats came to greet me! (Welcome) Wow—what beautiful green eyes! This room also has a lot of beautiful cats. So you’re the one who’s been meowing cutely all this time. Her name is Sui. Actually, she lost her sense of smell due to an accident in the past. Because of that, she can’t drink water, so she eats softened food. She’s incredibly sweet and friendly. Maybe because she can’t smell, her hearing and sight have become extra sharp. Sui was actually adopted once, but came back due to issues with another cat in the home. Please come meet her if you can🐈 The cats keep giving kisses to my camera. OK! No cavities! A cat meeting. (Agenda: Who is this human?) They’re all very suspicious of me😂 Tierheim Primary School has been open for six years, and 240 cats have graduated (been adopted). Even after adoption, the shelter stays in touch to support their happy lives. There’s a shop on the first floor that sells cat-themed goods. Proceeds go toward supporting the cats. This mug is so cute. (¥1,000/$7/€6) Masking tape and buttons (¥500/$3.5/€3) Pouches and eco bags (¥1,000/$7/€6) The most popular item is this tote bag! (¥2,000/$14/€12) The cats’ lives are supported by merchandise sales, donations, and crowdfunding. With crowdfunding, you can donate money and receive thank-you gifts like cookies or vegetables. For more details, please check the official website linked in the description. I wanted to spend a little money for them too. So I decided to buy a healthy treat called “Nyamerou.” These treats are free of preservatives and artificial colors! It cost ¥770! ($5.34/€4.62) I got permission to give them the treats. Even if it’s a small amount, I’m happy to spend money to give them something nice. It’s a win-win. I also want to support them through crowdfunding. There’s a female staff member in the room too👩 They’re all making the cutest sounds I’ve never heard before😹 Me: You’re really fired up. Me: Come here. So cute. I want to give the treats to everyone equally. Some of the treats keep falling on the floor. Tragedy: My hand is done for. It hurts, but I’ll survive😂 Me: This one’s intense. Such an eater. 👩: She sure loves to eat. 👩: But no matter how much she eats, she never gains weight. Me: So slim. I’m jealous. 😂😂 Me: Your claw is digging into my finger. OK. I’ll give a treat to Sui too. I wonder if she can even taste it without her sense of smell. But she still ate it like it was delicious. Want a bite? (What is this?) (Guess I’ll try a little taste…) Maybe it’s a kind of treat they’re not used to. (Give me some too.) It’s nice when they meow—it makes it easier to understand what they want. Even the shy ones are curious about the treats. But most of them seem unfamiliar with this kind of snack. She doesn’t eat much, but she still comes near me😂 Oh! She ate it! But then—something happened! That scared me! You’re way too angry..🤣 You didn’t do anything wrong. Now it’s Class 3’s turn! There’s a cat here with beautiful heterochromia. She forcefully turned the camera herself! But it actually gave me a great angle📸 Ouch!🤣 But thanks to this training, my hands are getting stronger. I’ll endure anything for this level of cuteness. The black cat throws silky-smooth punches👊 Not hungry? Random violence, part 2. (Why did I get smacked?) It’s okay, it’s okay. Next is Class 2! So many cats were waiting for me! Sorry to keep you all waiting! Wait a second!😂 I’m trying to get to the middle of the room. Camera setup complete. There are too many—I’ll need both hands to feed them. Their cat punches are seriously scary. They’re usually sweet, but they transform when treats are involved. I feel like I’m fighting a bunch of mini tigers. It’s full-on chaos now. Please don’t accidentally bite my hand😨 No good—two hands aren’t enough! At that moment, I truly wished I were an octopus. 😂😂 That’s it! One last bonus lick. You can catch cats like this🎣 Thanks for the food! As soon as they finish eating, they calm down completely. I’m heading to the next room, okay? Huh? No one’s following? Thanks! Thanks for waiting, Class 1! Oh my god! He’s back in action! I want to make sure even the shy ones get treats. But this guy doesn’t know the meaning of “shy”😂 Every cat is different, and that’s what makes them great. Here you go. Uh-oh, now my clothes are the victim. Come on! Hurry, or he’ll get here first! There he is!😂 How much can one cat possibly eat? Might as well make full use of this big cat tower. Wherever I go, they follow. I seriously love them so much. (Excuse me, coming through.) 😂 Now it’s turned into a game of tag. Come a little closer! It came from behind…🤡 Just like a horror movie jump scare. This cat got ripped from eating too many treats. Let’s get the cats moving after their meal. I’ve only got time for Class 2. Hey, where did all that energy go? Here, take the ball! This is oddly surreal. How about this, then? Nice reaction! Cute! I’ve got an idea! It worked perfectly!🎉 I’m awakening their wild instincts. He could be a great soccer player. But he’d get so many handball fouls😂 Amazing! (What am I even doing right now?) Don’t snap back to reality like that😹 His name is Cheese. Player Cheese charges toward the ball! Oh! Another player rushes in to join! Player Cheese freezes at the ball! And makes a quick pass! A brilliant dribble… but the shot misses! Time for some reflex training. You’re pretty slow for a cat😂 So cute. This moment is just so soothing. Now he’s moved on from soccer to rhythmic gymnastics🎗️ So cute! (Wait, where did the stick go?) I was having so much fun, I ended up playing with them a lot. Look at that unimpressed cat in the back. Thanks for playing with me, everyone. Wait… are you guys mad at me?😧 It’s dinnertime for the cats! Every day, dinner is served between 4 and 5 PM. The staff member smoothly sets out all the bowls. Some cats eat in cages to avoid fights. That sound is oddly satisfying🤭 Next up: Class 2! They’re still as intense about food as ever😂 (Give it to me already!) 👩: Chi-chan! Chi-chan, retrieved. So you’re one of the cage-eating cats😂 Eat plenty and stay healthy, okay? To keep the cats healthy, the school has a room fully equipped with medical facilities. It’s set up so a vet can come in at any time in case of emergencies. There used to be a full-time vet here, but they’re currently looking for one. So for non-emergencies, they drive the cats to a nearby clinic. Next up: Class 3! 👩: Thanks for waiting. The cats in this room patiently wait for their turn. Al-chan! (the black cat’s name) Al! (Coming!) Al made it to his food bowl. Once the cats start eating, the room falls silent. The sound of cats eating in the quiet is oddly comforting. Last up is Class 4! It’s finally their turn for dinner. There are about 30 cats in this school, so even just feeding them is a big task. In Japan, one staff member is allowed to care for up to 30 cats. Right now, one staff member takes care of all the feeding and cleaning on weekdays. If they can hire one more person, they’ll be able to care for up to 60 cats, so they’re considering hiring. Tierheim Primary School is not run by the government—it’s operated by a non-profit organization. The staff here are not volunteers, and with the rising cost of living, a lot of money is needed to keep the shelter running. Because of this, they’ve faced times when they were at risk of shutting down. However, thanks to many supporters, over 10 million yen ($69,000/€59,200) was raised through crowdfunding. Thanks to cat lovers everywhere, they overcame that crisis, and many cats were saved. Cats who lost their homes for various reasons come here, find new families, and eventually “graduate.” A place of arrivals and farewells—it truly feels like an elementary school for cats. That’s the feeling I got when I visited this place. I hope these cats continue to live happy lives. After eating, the cats enter nap mode. Following them around all day, they just looked so happy. I hope they can graduate, but even if they don’t, I think they’re still happy here. It’d be wonderful if more shelters like this existed. The staff leaves around 6 p.m., so the cats spend the night on their own. I should be heading home too. Thanks for today. Even at night, the cats are free to roam and don’t stay in cages. Only a few cats who tend to fight are kept in cages. They’re really trying to get out. Sorry, I can’t let you out😭 But some of them were just happily eating without a care😂 Litter boxes and water are all set for the night. Now the cats can sleep peacefully. (Bye!) You look like a snake🐍 I said my final goodbyes to them. Thank you. I’ll come see you again. The hallway was filled with lovely cat books. “Stacked Cats” is so cute🌸 “Think cats have it easy? Try living like one—it’s tough.” “Meditating. Not sleeping, just meditating.” “Came back starving, and the place is empty… Seriously?” Right now, Tierheim Primary School is only for cats, but they’re considering rescuing dogs in the future too. They’re working on securing funding and staff to make it happen. I want to support them. Before I left, there was one more room I wanted to see. This used to be the art room. Now it’s used for meetings and events. It was so beautiful, with old student paintings still hanging on the walls. Just as I was about to leave, a delivery of cat litter arrived. It’s thanks to cat lovers’ support that they can buy things like this. So, thank you, Tierheim Primary School. You were a truly amazing cat shelter. Today’s video might have felt a little different than usual. because this isn’t a place designed for interacting like a cat café. But I really wanted to introduce this incredible cat shelter in Japan. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Right now, this is the only cat shelter in Japan that uses an abandoned school building. There are discussions about creating more wonderful places like this in the future. I’m back at Okayama Station! I haven’t eaten anything yet, so I’ll grab dinner before heading home. I found a yakitori restaurant! They serve all kinds of chicken dishes here. I went with the classic yakitori! I ordered a mix—thigh, skin, gizzard, and more. Looks delicious🤤 The appetizer was tofu. And I got a honey yuzu sour🍊 Cheers to another great day. Ahh, so good! Starting with the chicken thigh. So good. The sauce is amazing too. In Japan, you can choose between sauce or salt for yakitori. I prefer sauce for thigh, but salt for gizzard and skin. It’s super tender and flavorful! Definitely try it if you visit Japan. By the way, from here in Okayama, it’s easy to visit Cat Island in Kagawa or Rabbit Island in Hiroshima. Both are about three hours away or less. To reach Sanagi Island in Kagawa, the fastest way is taking the Marine Liner to Sakaide from Okayama. To get to Rabbit Island in Hiroshima, take the shinkansen to Mihara, then head to Tadanoumi Port. If you haven’t seen my Cat Island or Rabbit Island videos yet, be sure to check them out!🐈🐰 Once I started eating, I couldn’t stop. I added some more—like tsukune with cheese🧀 Even grilled green onions alone are surprisingly tasty. I ate all this for just ¥3,212! ($22/€19) Thanks so much for watching until the end!

It’s like a giant cat café — but it’s actually a cat shelter🐈
This time, I visited a unique shelter that was created using a closed-down school.
Here, cats with all kinds of pasts “enroll,” and eventually “graduate” when they meet their new families.
It truly feels like an elementary school for cats — a heartwarming and special place.
Experience Japan through this video🇯🇵
Turn on subtitles!
Feel free to leave a comment✨

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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClvAMefbqDLwHDOF40Vjm_Q

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Cat Island

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Tierheim Primary School
Website
https://www.tierheim-okayama-pre.com
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/tierheim.p.s?igsh=MWJtY2k4NGFianUwNg==

For Those Considering Support🐈
Click here to donate(via Tierheim’s online shop)
https://tierheim-ps.jp/product/list/12
Crowdfunding
https://camp-fire.jp/profile/kuroda-nobuhiro/projects
Amazon Wishlist
https://www.amazon.co.jp/hz/wishlist/ls/X7L79ASN6UVS?ref_=wl_share&language=en_US&currency=USD
※Sorry, the website is in Japanese only. Please use a translation tool to read it🙇

Map
https://maps.app.goo.gl/rH2NeQJ3PFFnX4wH8
For Visitors
We hold a regular adoption event every Sunday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Visits are also welcome from Monday to Saturday between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM.
No reservation is required — feel free to drop by!
Please note: We may occasionally be closed due to vet visits or other reasons.
We announce any temporary closures on Facebook and Instagram, so please check before visiting.

Time Stamp
0:00 Intro
0:26 Heading to the Cat Shelter from Okayama Station
1:12 Tierheim Primary School
2:26 Cats Living in Four Classrooms
14:16 Cats Who Found Their Forever Homes
14:37 Cat Goods & Crowdfunding
15:39 Giving the Cats Some Treats I Bought!
25:42 Post-Meal Exercise Time
29:11 Dinner Time
33:57 Thank You, Beloved Cats
36:08 Funny Cat Haiku, Art Room, and More
37:48 Eating Yakitori at Okayama Station

Other Recommended Videos ^ ^
Fox Village

Snow Monkey Park

Hippos eat watermelons!? Japan’s amazing zoo!!

Rabbit Island

• Titles, descriptions and subtitles done by auto translation so may not be correct.
• The price in the video uses the exchange rate at the time of editing.
• Prices may change depending on the season.

🎵Opening music
ikson™ (https://ikson.com/tell-your-story)

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