The Japanese Prefecture of Hiroshima has taken a unique spin on street view for their digital maps. The company has created “Cat Street View” that allows you explore towns from the perspective of a local cat.
This unique take on digital mapping was the brainchild of Hiroshima's tourist office that introduced “Cat Street View” last year as part of the “Cheers! Hiroshima—Look!--Eat!--Drink!” tourism campaign. The original version showcased the town of Onomichi. The creators recently added a second location, the neighboring town of Takehara to the platform.
The cat-centric map lets you explore the streets and rooftops (truly anywhere a cat can go) as a local cat. Your feline avatar in Takehara is Souseki and the map features 27 feline friends to find around town.
The Onomichi map is similarly structured, but features a different cat, Rara, to guide you through the town, where there are 95 feline friends to find.
The tool is complete with a kitty paw cursor and familiar feline sound effects. You will hear meowing in areas where other cats can be found. Many of these cats are accompanied by icons allowing you to watch a video and catch a glimpse into their daily lives. There is also an icon in the bottom right-hand corner that tallies the cats you have met on your journey.
This map tool is way more than a street view platform—it's honestly more like a game where you have to find all the missing cats, and in the spirit of Pokémon, you truly feel like you “gotta catch 'em all.”
Feel free to explore Takehara and Onomichi for yourself – and make sure to share the experience with your friends on Facebook.