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 Do
you know what the most popular animal in Japan is?
Yes, it’s the monkey! People in Japan love monkeys very much because
they are very playful and smart. If you go to a train
station in the Hyoto prefecture, you can meet
very special monkeys.
Last Monday, Hojo-cho station appointed two baby monkeys
as stationmasters! Seven-month-old Nehime and three-month-old Rakan
have also been formally appointed as special
city residents by the local mayor.
The monkey stationmasters go on duty every day, wearing
blue uniforms and matching mini hats. The railway station hopes the
two cute stationmasters will help attract more visitors to the Hojo-cho
line in the near future. Currently, the line operates the first biodiesel fuel train in Japan.
It is not the first time in Japan that animals have been appointed
to work at a train station. Four years ago, a cat named Tama became
a stationmaster at Kishi station in the Wakayama prefecture. Thanks to the cat, the number
of passengers increased by as much as 17
percent in 2007 alone. Let’s hope the monkeys
will bring the same magic! |
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