Japan is mourning the loss of Ken-chan, the beloved black cat who spent seven years trying to slip past the sliding doors of the Onomichi City Museum of Art. Ken-chan’s passing, announced on November 11 on the museum’s X account, immediately sparked a wave of tributes from fans. 

Over the years, Ken-chan became a familiar sight at the building’s entrance. Security guard Sadao Umayahara, dressed in crisp white gloves, would gently lower himself into a defensive stance as Ken-chan padded forward with quiet determination, the two reenacting their sweet, slow-motion showdown again and again.

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The Cat Who Kept Coming Back

Ken-chan made his debut in 2017 — coincidentally while the museum was holding an exhibition about cats. The black cat, who lived at a nearby restaurant, approached the museum entrance with confidence, only to be gently blocked by a security guard named Sadao Umayahara. The museum staff filmed the adorable standoff and posted it on social media, sparking the ongoing viral saga known as “the cat and the guard standoff.”

Ken-chan’s unyielding attempts to enter the museum, paired with Umayahara’s calm, patient, and almost comically polite resistance, made the pair a recurring attraction. Oddly enough, Ken-chan only attempted to break in on days Umayahara was on duty. As a fixed-term guard, Umayahara worked only four times a year — and yet Ken-chan always seemed to know when he was due to appear. 

For seven years, this unlikely friendship continued. The museum staff noticed that Ken-chan was never terribly interested in the exhibitions themselves; he simply wanted to play with his favorite guard. In 2018, Ken-chan began bringing along a friend: an orange tabby affectionately dubbed Gocchan. Together, the two would visit the museum steps, often engaging in a two-on-one “battle” with the ever-dutiful Umayahara.

Courtesy of The Mainichi, Photography by Kenji Sato

Farewell, Ken-chan

Ken-chan fell ill in 2024 and eventually stopped visiting the museum. He departed this world in September 2024 after extensive treatment, and the museum announced the news on November 11, the anniversary of his adoption, on behalf of his owner. 

After Ken-chan’s death, the museum chose to preserve his legacy with the affection and attention he had earned. They released a 2026 memorial calendar filled with photographs of his encounters with Umayahara, which sold out immediately. They also created life-size figurines of Ken-chan and Gocchan. If you visit the museum today, you will also find a black cat sticker on the glass sliding doors of the museum, forever commemorating the beloved feline. 

Umayahara, who had only ever kept a dog, said Ken-chan was the only cat who had ever been truly close to him. “I still feel like he’s about to come round that corner,” he told Withnews after Ken-chan’s death. “I want to say ‘thank you’ to him for all the good memories we had together.” 

You can find all the posts featuring Umayahara, Ken-chan and Gocchan on the museum’s official X account.

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Updated On December 8, 2025