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The Beckoning Cat
At some point in our lives, we’ve all seen these mini-cat statues. Some waved their hand to us, some didn’t. Some were yellow, some were white. But until now, you probably had no idea about their nearly 200-year history.
Maneki-Neko in Japanese means “beckoning cat”. The figurines are usually made of ceramic or plastic.
The figurine traditionally depicts a calico Japanese Bobtail cat, which are native to Japan, with a paw raised in a beckoning gesture. Japanese Bobtails come in a variety of hair colors, and as such so do their figurine counterparts.
The figurines are believed to bring good luck to their owner.
Origins
The earliest records of Maneki-Neko appear in the Bukō nenpyō's (a chronology of Edo) entry dated 1852. This was during the Edo period in Japan.
Utagawa Hiroshige's Japanese block print painting - Characters from Plays as Merchants and Customers, from the series Flourishing Business in Balladtown (Jôruri-machi hanka no zu) was painted also in 1852, and it depicts the Marushime-Neko, a variation of Maneki-Neko, being sold at Senso temple, Tokyo.
Some have noted the similarities between the Maneki-Neko's gesture and that of a cat washing its face. There is a Japanese belief that a cat washing its face means a visitor will soon arrive. This belief may in turn be related to an even older Chinese proverb that states that if a cat washes its face, it will rain. Thus, it is possible a belief arose that a figure of a cat washing its face would bring in customers.
According to a folktale, the operator of an impoverished shop (or inn, tavern, temple, etc.) took in a starving stray cat despite barely having enough to feed himself. In gratitude, the cat sat in the front of the store beckoning customers, thus bringing prosperity as a reward to the charitable proprietor.
Colors
The color of your Maneki-Neko has significance in its use-case. Certain colors would be seen in certain environments. In a small business for instance, you may see more gold / yellow Maneki-Neko, as the color yellow signifies wealth. you may see a white cat, which signifies overall good fortune in a home. Black Maneki-Neko ward off evil, while red is for good health, and pink is for romance.
Paws
Just like the colors have significance on the type of luck it brings, the same concept applies to the paws of your Maneki-Neko. If you have one that has a left paw raised, it is to get more customers, whereas having one with the right paw raised is to get more money. Hence it is also said that the one with the left paw is for business, while the right one is for the home. A Maneki-Neko that offers both paws raised gives you the best of both worlds; customers, and wealth.
Where to display them
If you are looking to get yourself a Maneki-Neko, consider where you want to put it. It is said that putting it at the entrance of a home or business maximizes its effect. If you have ever been to a Japanese-owned business, you may have seen a Maneki-Neko at the entrance, or in the storefront window.
Maneki-Neko Fun Facts
Did you know that Meowth, the mischievous Team Rocket Pokémon companion was actually originally inspired by a Maneki-Neko?
Because of its popularity in Chinese and Vietnamese communities (including Chinatowns in the United States), the Maneki-Neko is frequently mistaken for being Chinese in origin rather than Japanese, and is therefore sometimes referred to as a "Chinese lucky cat". This cat however is also prevalent in China domestically under a different name.
In some parts of Japan, there are Maneki-Neko shrines where people go to pray for good luck and fortune.
PewDiePie visiting a Maneki-Neko Shrine (Starts at 2:17):
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