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If it wasn’t obvious yet, I live in the United States. If you have ever been to a Japanese, Chinese, or Thai restaurant here, you have probably seen a Maneki Neko, usually called a Lucky Cat in the States. I picture a little gold cat statue on a counter, red collar painted around its neck, one paw raised and waving rhythmically forward and back while the other paw grasps a coin. However, Maneki Neko are not just shiny tchotchkes. They have a rich history and folkloric tradition.
The Dawn of Maneki Neko
Maneki Neko, Japanese for “beckoning cat(s),” originated in Japan during the Edo period (17th to mid-19th century) (1, 2, 3). They didn’t begin to appear widely in publications and business until the Meji period (1868-1912), possibly as an indirect consequence of the opening of Japan to the West (1). Before Japan opened, Japanese brothels included good-luck shelves that displayed phallic luck charms (1). The Meji government wanted to modernize Japan and give a positive image to the primarily Christian West, so one of their measures was to outlaw these phallic luck charms (1). When those charms were forced to disappear, they were replaced with Maneki Neko (1). Other businesses began to take up the practice of setting out Maneki Neko as luck charms, and they continue to do so today (1).
The question still remains, who first created the Maneki Neko, and why? It may be impossible to know for certain. Several legends attempt to explain the origins of these adorable good luck charms. In one story, there was once a very poor old woman who lived with her cat in Imado, which is now eastern Tokyo (1, 3). Her poverty forced her to either sell or abandon her cat, depending upon the version of the story (1, 3). But her cat must not have held that against her, because soon thereafter the cat appeared to her in a dream and told her to make a clay statue in its image (1, 3). When she did, people began to ask if they could buy the statue (1). The old woman was lifted from her poverty by making and selling statues of her former pet (1, 3).
Another legend also involves a loyal and beloved pet, but is rather more gruesome. During the Edo period, there was a Tokyo courtesan who had a pet cat that she treasured (1). One day, the cat began clawing at her kimono, preventing the courtesan from taking another step (1, 2, 3). The owner of the brothel believed the cat must be possessed, and cut off the cat’s head with his sword (1, 2, 3). The head flew through the air and struck a snake that was poised to bite the courtesan (1, 2, 3). The cat’s fangs pierced and killed the snake, saving the courtesan (2). As might be expected, the courtesan was distraught at the death of her cat, so one of her customers carved her a statue of the cat to cheer her up (1, 2, 3).
The most popular tale about Maneki Neko, if true, could explain their name and basic design. In the Setagaya District of Tokyo, there is a temple called Gotokuji (4, 5). In the 17th century, it wasn’t much, and it was overseen by a poor monk with barely enough money to feed himself and kind of manage the temple (1, 5). Even so, he had a temple cat he loved so much that he shared what little food he had with it (1, 5). One day, there came up a rain storm, and a man came into the temple for shelter (1-5). He introduced himself as Lord Ii Naotaka of Hikone District, near Kyoto, and explained that he had seen a cat near the temple beckoning him inside (1, 4, 5).
In some versions of the story, Naotaka had been sheltering under a tree at first, and after he followed the cat the tree was struck by lightening, so he is grateful to the cat for saving his life (1, 2, 3). In others, he is simply glad to be out of the storm and sees it all as the will of Buddha (5). Whatever his reasons, Naotaka became the temple’s patron and made it prosper (1-5). The temple was renamed Gotokuji in 1697 (1) in honor of Naotaka’s posthumous Buddhist name (4). As for the cat, it remained at the temple for the rest of its days and was buried in the cemetery when it died, with the first Maneki Neko made to honor its memory (1). The cat was deified as Shobyo Kannon, Goddess of Mercy (4, 5).
Gotokuji still stands today as both a Buddhist temple and a tourist attraction. It is absolutely covered with Maneki Neko. The Maneki Neko made and sold there are white, with the right paw raised, wearing a red collar with a gold bell (4, 5). The idea is to buy a Maneki Neko at the temple, say a wish or a prayer over it–or even write one on it–and then leave it at the temple (4). The result is a tremendous number of Maneki Neko covering every available surface in a certain part of the temple. This is a place where I hope to one day take many pictures.
The Design of Maneki Neko
Maneki Neko all share a basic shape, but their color, accessories, and which paw they’re raising all determine exactly what that particular charm means. If the right paw is lifted, the charm attracts money and good fortune (1, 2, 3). If the left paw is up, then it attracts customers or people (1, 2, 3). Occasionally you will see a Maneki Neko with both paws raised, which is said to protect the home or business (2, 3). Higher paws are supposed to extend the reach of the lucky magic and make the charms luckier (1, 3). That’s why Maneki Neko sometimes have an improbably long foreleg.
The most common color of Maneki Neko is a mostly-white calico, which is considered the luckiest color (1, 2, 3). I read that this is because calico toms are so incredibly rare (1), but tortoiseshell and calico she-cats are quite common, so does this mean that Maneki Neko are supposed to be toms? There was no further explanation. White Maneki Neko may represent purity, happiness, and positivity (1, 2, 3). Black may ward off evil and/or disease (1, 2, 3). Gold, the color I am most used to seeing in the United States, brings wealth (1, 2, 3). There are many less common colors with more specific purposes as well:
- Red: combat illness or bring luck in love (1, 2, 3, 5)
- Pink: luck in love (1, 5)
- Green: good health or academic success (2, 3, 5)
- Yellow: good health (3)
- Purple: prosperity and opportunity (3)
What the cat is wearing or holding can also affect its meaning. Most Maneki Neko wear a red collar with a bell, a throw-back to the Edo period when cats were a very expensive pet exclusive to the wealthy (1). Cat people would put collars made from the red hichirimen flower, strung with small bells, onto their cats so that they could keep track of them (1). Maneki Neko typically hold a gold coin in their free paw to attract wealth (1, 2, 3). However, they may hold something different, or even nothing at all in the case of the Gotokuji cats. Sometimes they hold a little hammer, or money mallet, which is supposed to attract wealth when shaken (2). They might hold a fish, usually a carp, because it is a symbol of abundance and good luck (2). Other symbols of wealth and good luck found in their paws include marbles or gems, gourds, daikon radishes, prayer tablets, and ingots (2).
If you want to check out all the different designs of Maneki Neko with your own eyes and you happen to live in Ohio, USA, not Japan, then you’re in luck! The Lucky Cat Museum is located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Visit their website for hours and location if you would like to pay them a visit.
Works Cited
- Schumacher, M. (2011, April). Maneki neko 招き猫 or 招猫: Lucky beckoning cat or inviting cat. Japanese Buddhist Statuary. https://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/maneki-neko.shtml
- Tse, H. (2020, January 2) 5 interesting facts about maneki neko cats aka lucky cats. Catster. https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/maneki-neko-fortune-cat-5-interesting-facts
- Greg. (2017, February 27). Feline folklore: Decoding the lucky cat. Japan Craft. https://japancraft.co.uk/blog/decoding-the-lucky-cat/
- Japan Inside. (n.d.). The “lucky cat” temple: Gotokuji. https://japaninsides.com/the-lucky-cat-temple-gotokuji/
- Mellin, J. (2018, July 19). Inside the Tokyo temple where the ‘waving cat’ was born. CNN Travel. https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/maneki-neko-temple-tokyo/index.html
Published September 27th, 2020
Updated October 3rd, 2020
