GUEST
Cathy Cat – A Japanese-speaking Reporter and Influencer
Cathy Cat has been in the game long before street interviews started gaining a huge amount of popularity on social media. Many of the international audience may know her from the popular YouTube channel “Ask Japanese”, which has over 500,000 subscribers. We met with Cathy Cat to discuss her journey into the Japanese media industry and talk about her future ambitions.
Why did we reach out to Cathy Cat?
Cathy Cat is a popular reporter and influencer based in Japan. Throughout her time here, she built a good rapport within Japanese media, appearing as a host on NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), being featured on Radio, and of course, YouTube. While she mainly aims to catch the voices of citizens or visitors in Japan, we were curious to interview the person behind the microphone, and learn more about what brought them to Japan.
What we talked about:
A Passion for Japan, from Cosplay to Media
Cathy Cat’s interest in Japan stems from her experiences in her home country, Germany. She was part of a musical group that performed Japanese-themed shows, which sparked her interest in Japan. This passion led her to cosplay and eventually to an exchange program in Tokyo. However, Cathy Cat wanted to experience Japan beyond the otaku culture. She returned to Japan for a one-year working holiday, which helped confirm her desire to be there. After a brief but impressive stop in England, she earned two master’s degrees—one in drama and education and another in science fiction.
Stepping into the Japanese Media Scene
Cathy Cat returned to Japan to teach English but soon found herself involved in content creation on YouTube during her days off. Living in Tokyo, she embraced the vibrant Harajuku district, the epicenter of Japan’s pop culture. She attended events, adopted Harajuku fashion, and gradually built an online community. Her initial break into the media industry came with Kawaii Pateen, leading to her role with the popular YouTube channel “Ask Japanese,” where she conducts street interviews with locals on various aspects of Japanese culture. Cathy’s experience in Japanese media expanded beyond YouTube when she began working in television. She took the initiative to personally reach out to company representatives with handmade business cards. Over the years, she has appeared in various programs, including Newsroom Tokyo on NHK and Japan Railway Journal.
Current Projects
Over the past few years, Cathy Cat has continued to expand into different media platforms, sharing Japan with an international audience. She has started streaming on Twitch, using the platform to connect more closely with her audience and share insights about life in Japan and learning Japanese. Additionally, she manages The Lady Beard Podcast, alongside the popular icon LadyBeard.
A Piece of Advice for Those Wanting to Work in Japan
Cathy Cat’s message for aspiring professionals in Japan is simple—don’t wait for opportunities to come to you; put in the work to achieve your goals. She encourages people to make the effort in whatever they aspire to accomplish. Her own career path in Japan reflects the power of persistence, adaptability, and a genuine love for cultural exchange.
