See Japan through a cat's eye

Ever wonder what a cat is seeing? Well, the Hiroshima Tourist Board has made it possible to do just that-- it has appointed some furry friends to map out several popular routes. The new tool lets you experience the Japanese town, of Onomichi, from a cat's vantage point. Experience the streets as a cat, and even hang out with the local strays.

On September 1, 2015, "Hiroshima Cat's Street View, Onomichi Part," was the world's first tour in which you can explore a town, guided from the view of a cat.

Onomichi is a port city 70m east of Hiroshima, famous for having over 150,000 cats. The 360 view is at a cat's level, so much lower to the ground than typical virtual perspectives. As you explore you can click icons. These icons introduce you to well-known cats, shops, scenery, and motion pictures.

Initially the tool lets you go through four areas, including the shopping mall area, cat's lane area, Kubo area, and the Misode Tenmangu area. The tourism board plans on adding new locations to its map later this year.

Bonus: it does not cost anything to use the tool, so use it on your phone! (It is compatible on iPhone, iPad and some Androids.) Want the app?!

"This is being carried out as part of 'Kanpai! (Cheers) Hiroshima- Look! -Eat! -Drink!', a tourism promotion campaign which was developed in June 2015. You can enjoy and experience the hidden charms of the backstreets and the scenery of Hiroshima from the perspective of cats which know them well" reads a press release from the Hiroshima Tourist Board, according to PC Mag.

Here is the Hiroshima Tourism Board's concept video for its cats-eye view tool:

What defines your city? I mean maybe where I am right now, in Olean, New York, we would have squirrel cams.

This is an example of an innovative marketing tool that successfully uses local culture and modern technology to its advantage. Sure, Google Earth lets you see the world from a bird's-eye view, but that is not what Japan is all about. Google Earth just doesn't show enough cats!

If you want to see Hiroshima "it's the purr-fecf way" to do it, according to Mashable.

Makes me want to visit Japan and play with all the local felines (although I probably won't be as accepted into their ranks as I was as a cat)

Cheers!

Laura