Lucky Cat "Maneki Neko"

Often referred to as a ‘lucky cat’ in English, a Maneki-Neko is an iconic figurine and image of Japanese culture. Typically depicting a calico cat with a paw raised in a beckoning gesture, lucky cats are typically placed near the entrance of businesses in Japan.
This serves the double-purpose of beckoning luck and potential customers to enter the storefront. However, did you know that there are many different types of lucky cats in Japan? Let’s look at the history and origin of lucky cats, as well as characteristics of their design, and where to place them.

What does the pose of the lucky cat mean?

Raised left paw

A beckoning cat with its left hand raised is said to be beneficial for inviting people in, or in other words, for business prosperity. It is a good idea to display it in your store or office.

Raised right paw

Most lucky cats found placed in homes have their right paw raised. This type of lucky cat is said to bring good fortune to its owner. This style of lucky cat is commonly placed near the cashier or main entrance of shops in Japan.

High raised paw

With an arm stretched long upwards, a lucky cat with a high raised paw has significant symbolism in its design. With a paw stretched far into the air, a lucky cat with a high raised paw brings good fortune that stretches into the far future.

Both paws raised

A lucky cat with both paws raised brings its owner the combined effect of left and right paws, i.e., both people and good luck. This type of lucky cat is believed to bring more fortune and longer life.

The history of lucky cats

Lucky cats have their origins traced all the way back to the later part of the Edo period. While its exact location of origin is disputed (there are arguments for the tradition being from both Tokyo and Kyoto), lucky cats are thought to have been first mentioned in in the Bukō nenpyō (a chronology of Edo) in 1852.
In 1876, during Japan’s Meiji period, the lucky cat was then mentioned again during a newspaper article. There is also evidence of lucky cats appearing in a 1902 advertisements, making clear evidence that they were popular up until the turn of the century.

The origin of lucky cat’s design

Cats have a long history of utility within Japanese society. In the old days, Japanese farmers living with cats were said to prosper without crop damage because cats would drive away rats that damage their crops. In addition to this popular use of cats in ancient Japan, there are many other theories as to how lucky cats became a popular cultural icon in Japanese culture.

There are many possible origins of lucky cats proposed throughout Japanese history. One is the following tale; The proprietor of a nearly bankrupt enterprise noticed a stray, hungry cat and then proceeded to share a part of his food with the wandering animal. As a karmic response, the cat brought the owner good fortune, as visitors began to pour into the owner’s business from the cat’s friendly beckon.

Another common legend is the one that claims to have occurred where Gotokuji Temple now stands. The story takes place at a modest temple in the early 1600s, which is also the home a lowly monk. That monk had a cat named Tama with whom he shared his limited food. A wealthy nobleman was returning home from one of his hunting expeditions on a rainy evening and took refuge under a tree. That tree happened to be exactly outside the temple, where Tama was sitting and beckoning him in. A bolt of lightning struck the tree as the nobleman followed the cat into the shrine. The nobleman was so grateful to the cat for inviting him into the temple that he decided to sponsor it, giving this temple, along with the monk and Tama, a great deal of fortune.