It sits in shop
windows with one paw raised. It pays off more consistently than the lottery. What is it?
Why, a maneki neko, of course. These "beckoning cats" are considered lucky
charms, and even in a country famed for the variety of its good luck talismans, they don''t
get much luckier than the maneki neko. These cat figurines got their names because they
sit with one paw upraised and bent, as though making the traditional Japanese beckoning
gesture.
Most maneki neko have left paws raised; this gesture invites customers or visitors. When
the right paw is up, it brings wealth and good fortune. The color of the cat is also a key
to what fortune lies in store. A male tricolor cat is rare and therefore considered lucky,
particularly by sailors. White, the second most popular color, symbolizes purity. A red or
black cat keeps away evil (the black ones are especially popular among women as a talisman
to ward off stalkers). And while not a traditional maneki neko color, the pink cat brings
love (witness the joyous rapture bestowed by maneki's modern day cousin, Hello Kitty).
It's difficult to know where the tradition of keeping a maneki neko began, as there are
almost as many legends surrounding its origin as there are figurines. Perhaps the most
plausible is that it comes from a corruption of a ninth century Chinese saying: "If a
cat washes its face, a visitor will come." If that one lacks mystery, take your pick
of any of these old Edo legends.
Legend of Gotokuji In 17th century
Edo, the priest of a rundown temple kept a cat named Tama. "Tama," the priest
would complain, "I'm poor but I still take care of you. Isn't there something you can
do in return for the temple?" One day Lord Naotaka Ii was caught in a thunderstorm
nearby and he took refuge under a tree. Standing there, he noticed a cat inviting him
towards the temple. His curiosity aroused, he headed towards the cat. Just then, the tree
was destroyed by lightning. Grateful, the priest's temple was designated the Ii family's
temple and went on to great prosperity. Upon Tama's death, the cat was buried in the
temple's cemetery and maneki neko was invented in the cat's honor.
Legend of the Courtesan In
mid-eighteenth century Edo, there was a courtesan named Usugumo who was well-known for the
affection she bestowed on her cat. One night her cat ran underfoot, tugging and pulling at
the hem of her kimono, refusing to let go. A man came to her rescue and, suspecting that
the cat was possessed, lopped off its head with a sword. The head flew to the ceiling and
killed a snake poised to attack Usugumo. To console her, a customer gave the distraught
Usugumo an image of the cat carved from wood, and thus started maneki neko.
The Imado Legend In late 19th
century Edo, there lived an old woman whose poverty was so extreme she was forced to give
up her cat. The cat came to her in a dream one night and instructed her to make an image
of it in clay. To her surprise, people bought it. The more she made, the more they bought,
and thus the maneki neko saved her from poverty.
The Ramen Shop Legend Two competing
ramen-ya stood side by side in Asakusa. One shop put a beckoning cat in its window. All
the customers flocked to this shop until-you guessed it-the other shop installed its own.
This is one little feline that pays off.
It sits in shop
windows with one paw raised. It pays off more consistently than the lottery. What is it?
Why, a maneki neko, of course. These "beckoning cats" are considered lucky
charms, and even in a country famed for the variety of its good luck talismans, they don''t
get much luckier than the maneki neko. These cat figurines got their names because they
sit with one paw upraised and bent, as though making the traditional Japanese beckoning
gesture.
Legend of Gotokuji