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Mikan (cat)

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Mikan
Orange cat with a collar and green bandana licking its teeth
Mikan in 2021
Other names蜜柑, みかん[1]
SpeciesFelis catus
SexMale
Born (2020-04-04) 4 April 2020 (age 5)
Kaohsiung
OccupationStation master
EmployerKaohsiung Metro
Years activeSeptember 2020–present
ResidenceCiaotou Sugar Refinery metro station
AppearanceOrange and white fur
Named afterJapanese name for the Citrus unshiu

Mikan (Chinese: 蜜柑; pinyin: Mìgān; Wade–Giles: Mi4-kan1; born 4 April 2020) is an orange and white cat that serves as the station master of Ciaotou Sugar Refinery metro station, part of the Kaohsiung Metro in Taiwan. Adopted by station staff in 2020, he was appointed station master that September. The metro began to use Mikan for branding purposes, and he quickly became famous, being visited by both the city's mayor Chen Chi-mai and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. The metro uses Mikan's social media accounts to promote the care of stray animals. Mikan-related merchandise has provided significant income to the metro, both through direct sales and branding agreements in Taiwan and Japan.

Some trains on the Kaohsiung Metro have been decorated with a cartoon depiction of Mikan, and similar depictions have also appeared on a ferry in the city. An inflatable Mikan was created by the city to encourage tourism. The Kaohsiung Metro has used Mikan to promote itself during the Creative Expo Taiwan, named its Christmas fun run after Mikan, and has opened shops dedicated to selling Mikan merchandise. Since Mikan's adoption, several stray cats have also been adopted by other stations within the metro.

History

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Orange cat with a collar and green bandana meowing at a woman in glasses and a face mask
Mikan meeting then–Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in 2021

Mikan is a short-haired cat with orange and white fur.[2] Born a stray on 4 April 2020, he was adopted by staff at the Ciaotou Sugar Refinery metro station of the Kaohsiung Metro, who named him with the Japanese name for the Citrus unshiu (a mandarin orange), due to his resemblance to the fruit while curled up. In September he was officially designated a station master,[3] a move linked to the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the metro's opening.[4] At the time of his appointment, Mikan was reportedly totally unafraid of strangers, and happily allowed photographs while resting in a four-story 'house'.[2]

After becoming station master, Mikan was incorporated into the branding of the station and the wider metro, leading to a rapid growth in fame.[3] He received red envelopes during 2021's Chinese New Year. On 25 February 2021, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai visited the station. Chen, a noted cat lover with two pet cats, sent a postcard of Mikan to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.[5] That March, Tsai accompanied Chen to the station to visit Mikan.[3][6] A run of 2,000 commemorative stamp packages with Mikan framing stamps showcasing Kaohsiung were produced in June, and sold in Kaohsiung post offices, with some proceeds going to a local animal charity.[7] In December, the Taiwan Sugar Corporation, which runs the nearby land formerly part of the Ciaotou Sugar Refinery, collaborated with Kaohsiung Metro to decorate its heritage train with Mikan as part of its end of year event.[8] On 14 January 2022, Mikan visited Jiji railway station in Nantou County to celebrate its 100th anniversary. At the event Jiji railway station appointed its own orange cat, Longjiaosun, as a station master. 1,000 commemorative tickets created for the event sold out within an hour.[9]

The front of a light rail train with a cartoon cat face taking up the space beneath the driver's window
A Kaohsiung Circular light rail train with Mikan-inspired livery traveling through the "green tunnel" section

From 26 March to 31 May 2022, a cat photography exhibit was held at Yanchengpu metro station to mark Mikan's second birthday.[10] A Mikan-themed love train where passengers could write messages to loved ones ran for a few months in 2022, to mark the Qixi Festival.[11] To mark the opening of a new "green tunnel" section of the Circular light rail and the participation of the Kaohsiung Metro in the Creative Expo Taiwan, a train was given a livery that included cartoon representations of Mikan and cats from the Fumeancats YouTube channel [zh].[12][13] The inside of each carriage had different decorations. Later that year, Kaohsiung Metro held its first Christmas fun run, which was named the "2022 Station Master Mikan Xmas Run", and included a pet category. Exclusive Mikan-themed merchandise was produced to generate interest in the event, with proceeds going to charity.[14]

When Mikan's Facebook page was restricted in 2023, the city government assisted in contacting Facebook about the issue.[15] That year the city government installed a 16 metres (52 ft) inflatable Mikan above Love Pier light rail station, one of three inflatable animals created to draw tourism.[16]

In February 2025, a shop featuring products of both Mikan and Shimanekko was set up during the two-day Taiwan-Japan Dagang Fruit Festival.[17] The same month, Kaohsiung Metro announced a deal with two Japanese railway companies, its previous partner Enoshima Electric Railway as well as Keifuku Electric Railroad. It called this action "Mikan diplomacy". The three companies agreed to jointly produce Mikan-related products and hold promotional activities, with Mikan merchandise being sold at stations along the Japanese railway lines as well as in Kaohsiung.[3] Both Japanese lines would develop Mikan livery for their trains, which were planned for May 2025.[18]

In June 2025, Kaohsiung City Steamship repainted one of its ferries with an image including a cartoon Mikan.[19] On 17 September, the bakery company Yannick launched a Mikan-themed Swiss roll in conjunction with its expansion to the Kaohsiung Metro, and added videos of Mikan to its dispensers throughout Taiwan.[20][21]

Impact

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A line of people holding up signs with photos of Mikan in various positions, as well as one holding a curled up Mikan
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, amongst others holding photos of Mikan

In 2020 and 2021, it was reported that Mikan worked at a specially designated location from Wednesday to Sunday, including on national holidays.[2][5][6] During cold weather, Mikan is moved into the staff lounge.[22] In 2025 it was reported that he worked just one day a month, spending the rest of his time in "an exclusive workspace overlooking the city".[3] The usual working day is the third Saturday of the month.[23]

The Kaohsiung Metro has embraced Mikan as a marketing and promotional brand, and has created over 120 Mikan-themed products as of 2025. The company operates social media accounts for Mikan, which are used to share updates about Mikan while also encouraging the care of stray animals. It has also represented itself through Mikan at the Creative Expo Taiwan. In 2023 Mikan-related products raised around NT$7.5 million for the metro. In July 2024, a dedicated Mikan shop was opened at Zuoying HSR station, and sales that year reached NT$10 million.[3] In September, an agreement with Enoshima Electric Railway was made to sell Mikan-related products in Japan.[24] A theme song has been developed for Mikan.[20]

Mikan is part of a global trend of giving cats official roles at railway stations. Tama at Kishi Station in Japan is an early example, with later ones including 2021's appointment of George at Stourbridge Junction railway station in the United Kingdom.[25] Other stray cats have subsequently been adopted by Kaohsiung Metro, including three which were given a play area in Zuoying HSR station.[26]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Aska (16 January 2025). "高雄人不一定知！高捷５大冷知識：消失的O3車站、「這站」進出不扣錢". TVBS News. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
  2. ^ a b c Huang Xiaoqi (黃筱淇) (20 September 2020). "貓奴必朝聖！高捷糖廠站 「蜜柑」站長上任". TVBS (in Chinese). Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Wang Jung-hsiang; Esme Yeh (22 February 2025). "Cat rakes in NT$10m for Kaohsiung MRT". Taipei Times. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
  4. ^ Sean Scanlan (1 April 2023). "Photo of the Day: Classic Taiwan tabby spotted on MRT". Taiwan News. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  5. ^ a b Wang Shufen (王淑芬) (25 February 2021). "高捷貓站長蜜柑超萌 陳其邁探班慰勉辛勞". Focus Taiwan (in Chinese). Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  6. ^ a b Lü Xinlu (呂欣潞) (20 March 2021). "高捷貓站長「蜜柑」值早班累壞睡翻！ 網笑：牠剛和蔡總統應酬完". ETtoday.net (in Chinese). Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  7. ^ "高捷貓站長蜜柑領軍 與郵局一同以郵傳愛" (in Chinese). Kaohsiung Metro. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  8. ^ Lu Qiongjuan (陸瓊娟) (23 December 2021). "台糖「貓站長」彩繪小火車 26日歲末感恩之旅". China Daily News (in Chinese). Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  9. ^ Liu Binquan (劉濱銓) (14 January 2022). "貓站長同框「萌」翻天！集集火車站百週年 排字100慶生". The Liberty Times (in Chinese). Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  10. ^ Xu Baiying (徐白櫻) (26 March 2022). "蜜柑站長2歲了 「今年是貓年」攝影展今起在高捷開展". United Daily News (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 23 August 2022.
  11. ^ Wang Rongxiang (王榮祥) (5 August 2022). "輕軌告白列車「蜜柑號」 浪漫首航". The Liberty Times (in Chinese). Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  12. ^ "Green tunnel". Taipei Times. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  13. ^ Wang Rongxiang (王榮祥) (5 October 2022). "「蜜柑」與「黃阿瑪」聯手！高雄輕軌彩繪列車開進龍貓隧道". The Liberty Times (in Chinese). Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  14. ^ Wang Rongxiang (王榮祥) (19 October 2022). "高雄輕軌龍貓隧道蜜柑號爆紅 高捷加碼辦路跑". The Liberty Times (in Chinese). Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  15. ^ Cai Mengyu (蔡孟妤) (13 July 2023). "「蜜柑」臉書粉專復活 高捷感謝市府與粉絲相挺". Focus Taiwan (in Chinese). Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  16. ^ Xu Youning (許祐寧), ed. (13 July 2023). "VIDEO: Giant inflatable cat has collapsed on light rail station over Kaohsiung city". Radio Taiwan International. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  17. ^ "Unprecedented Scale! Taiwan-Japan Fruit Festival Attracts 100,000 Visitors in Two Days". Kaohsiung City Government. 10 February 2025. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  18. ^ "Kaohsiungstation cat Mikan to feature on Japanese trains". Formosa News. 19 February 2025. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  19. ^ Jiang Tingyi (江亭儀) (5 June 2025). "高雄最萌橘貓「蜜柑站長」彩繪渡輪登場 ！免費送限量周邊，航班資訊一次看". TVBS News (in Chinese). Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  20. ^ a b Li Wanru (李婉如) (17 September 2025). "亞尼克YTM進駐高雄捷運10站 攜手「蜜柑站長」萌力登場". MORE news (in Chinese). Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  21. ^ Wang Wenling (王雯玲) (17 September 2025). "超人氣高捷「蜜柑站長」聯手亞尼克 YTM 全台限量開賣生乳捲行銷高雄". OwlNews (in Chinese). Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  22. ^ Zheng Weiru (鄭暐儒) (31 December 2020). "高捷萌貓站長「蜜柑」放低溫假 賴床捲成球：天冷不想努力！". ETtoday.net (in Chinese). Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  23. ^ Wang Rongxiang (王榮祥) (22 January 2025). "歡迎探班！高捷貓站長蜜柑年初二值班 可盡情享用龍蝦大餐". The Liberty Times (in Chinese). Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  24. ^ Hu Shiying (胡時瑛); Wu Jishan (吳繢杉) (20 May 2025). "蜜柑站長萌翻日本 快閃店6月登日嵐電". Yahoo! News (in Chinese). Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  25. ^ Ritu Singh (11 April 2023). "Ginger Cat Named 'Mikan' Made 'Station Master' On Taiwan Metro, Internet Loves It". NDTV. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
  26. ^ Tristan Hilderbrand, ed. (16 January 2025). "WATCH: Kaohsiung's working cats". Radio Taiwan International. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
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