Japan security guard’s special bond with cat moves many; museum honours feline’s memory
Friendly feline made regular visits to play with venue guard; staff create calendar bearing photos of their interactions for posterity
A special bond that was formed between a museum security guard and a black cat that died last year continues to move countless people online.
The feline called Ken-chan visited the Onomichi City Museum in Japan’s Hiroshima prefecture for the first time in 2017, during a special exhibition themed on cats.
He tried to enter the museum but was gently stopped by the guard, Sadao Umayahara.
Instead of repelling Ken-chan, Umayahara patiently bent down to block his way. The cat also seemed to enjoy playing with Umayahara.
Museum staff captured their interaction, and photographs of it attracted attention online.
As a fixed-term guard for the museum, Umayahara only worked there four times a year during special exhibitions.
Museum staff noticed that Ken-chan visited the museum mostly when Umayahara was on duty.