Hit doco makes Gogoku Shrine cats international stars

Set in a Shinto shrine, nestled among the swaying cherry blossoms in the seaside town of Ushimado, The Cats of Gokogu Shrine is the latest film from Japanese filmmaker Kazuhiro Soda.

It tells the story of the coexistence between humans and nature and Japan’s fascination with cat lore.

Directed by Soda and produced by his wife, Kiyoko Kashiwagi, who also stars in the film, the documentary gives a perspective on life at the shrine and the feline neighbours that occupy it.

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The film explores the tension between the local community and the street cats, highlighting the contrast between those who nurture, neuter, and protect them, and those who resent their presence, particularly due to the mess they leave on the pristine village streets.

The film began by accident, Soda tells RNZ’s Culture 101.

“In 2021 the Gokogu Shrine, where a lot of street cats are living, they are like 10 seconds away from our new home in Ushimado. Kiyoko was asked to volunteer to help the TNR (trap, neuter and reduce) programme.

“So, I casually thought maybe it's interesting to film it without thinking about making into a film. Almost by accident, I started rolling my camera, and I ended up continuing to do film at the Gogoku Shrine for almost two years.”

Soda realised through the process of filming that the shrine was much more than a spiritual place for people.

“The shrine is also a community centre; it's at the centre of the community of Ushimado, and it's really a public space.

“Public space is getting shrunk and shrunk these days because every place is owned by somebody or some company. And the Japanese shrines are almost the only public space now left in Japan.”

Soda, known for his observational filmmaking style, funds his projects independently so that he can retain creative control.

“Without economic independence, we have no artistic independence. If somebody pays for the film, that somebody wants to say something, right? They want to change the film the way they want.

“I decided, when I started making my own films, we need to fund the project. And it's also convenient because I don't have to pitch to anybody to start the project.”

This independence is particularly important because Soda’s method is to work spontaneously, he says.

“I don't have a plan, my policy is not to have a plan, just roll the camera and see what happens and learn from what I see, and that's my method, it's better not to rely on somebody else's money.”

This independence also gives Soda an income stream, allowing him to keep working at his chosen pace.

“I directed probably about 50 documentaries for TV, but I don't have any copyrights to these documentaries. It's always a one-time deal. And for an independent filmmaker to survive economically, you have to own your own copyright.

“That's what I did, Because I pay for the production myself, we own copyrights. So, every time it gets played somewhere, we get paid.”

The film has been a success, which can be attributed to the cats’ widespread appeal, symbolising Japan’s cultural reverence for these creatures, he says.

“Tickets have sold out pretty fast in Berlin or Sydney or in London in Amsterdam, tickets sell really fast, which never happened with my films before.

So, it's really thanks to the cats, I guess. I’d really like to thank the cats.”

The Cats of Gokogu Shrine is showing at cinemas nationally.