Forget bird’s eye views, see with cat’s eyes with Cat Street View in Hiroshima

In a country as feline obsessed as Japan, it was only a matter of time before the people demanded to see the world from a cat’s perspective. And now, prayers have been answered and hard work has paid off, as the Hiroshima Prefecture has released “Hiroshima cat’s street view,” which is, as its name suggests, a daring look into street life from the eyes of a cat. As noted by the press release announcing this great advancement in geography, “For the first time in the world, see through the eyes of a cat … on the special website http://hiroshima-welcome.jp/kanpai/catstreetview.” And boy, is it ever special.

The map, which certainly does give the viewer a brand new look at Hiroshima, visits a number of attractions, including shops, landmarks, and scenic areas that would be as interesting to a tourist (or local) as they would be to a cat. Of course, you’ll be looking at everything from a much lower vantage point, but even this affords a new sense of discovery. And better yet, it reveals some parts of the city that you wouldn’t normally see, but that are frequented by cats, like rooftops. Says the press release, “You can enjoy and experience the hidden charms of the backstreets and the scenery of Hiroshima from the perspective of cats who know them well.”

Also featured in the map are some of Hiroshima’s most famous cats, each of whom have a sort of profile created for them by the ingenious minds behind the map. Moreover, you’re notified as to where these cats live, so you can pay them a visit at their local resting spots, should the other wonders of Hiroshima prove insufficient.

As of now, you can traverse any one of the three paths provided by the map, but Hiroshima promises to add more routes soon. The Wall Street Journal reports that for those hungry for more, additional maps will make their appearance in October, so maybe you can plan your trick-or-treating route based on your favorite cat’s favorite haunts.

So forget about the birds — the cats’ eye view is really what you want to be seeing. And prepare to be introduced to a whole new world.