Maneki Neko

Maneki Neko (招き猫)

The Japanese expression "Maneki Neko" can be translated as the Calling Cat or the Cat of Fortune. The raised paw of the cat is meant to be an invitation to enter. According to popular belief, if a cat passes its paw over its ear, it will rain soon after. This is why more customers will enter a room, a great fortune for the owner. That's why we usually find Maneki Neko in the shop windows in Japan. There are many legends related to cats in Japan and to the origin of the Maneki Neko. Cats were introduced to Japan from China in the 6th century: they protected boats, agricultural plantations and silkworms from mice. One of the most famous legends concerning the Maneki Neko is that of the Gotokuji Temple in the Setagaya district in Tokyo. The legend, set at the end of the Edo Period (1600-1800), tells of a monk and his cat who fell into misery, but so tied together that the monk categorically refused to part with his four-legged friend. One stormy night, a wealthy feudal lord found shelter under a large tree near the monk's modest home. Thanks to the light coming from the house, he was able to notice the cat who, at the entrance, raising his paw, invited him to enter. The man approached the house: at that moment the tree under which he sheltered himself from the rain was hit in full by lightning.