Maneki Neko

Maneki Neko, or the Beckoning Cat, is a popular charm of Japanese origins. They do come in various colours, the most popular being tri-coloured with gold, white and black one’s following behind in popularity. There is even red and pink coloured Maneki Neko’s, but are hard to find. When getting a Maneki Neko one would have to consider the colour of the cat to get as it does have meaning, but which paw is being lifted, too. Today you can find many of these cats across the world as they become more popular, many people leave offerings of water for the cat to this day. There is even something which I find interesting is called cat magic where it is said to be found in Japan where the magic is malevolent.

Not only that, there are some legends surrounding the Maneki Neko. One well known story tells how there was a monk at a poor temple who shared his small amount of food that he had with his cat. A samurai lord by the name of Li Naotaka of the Hikone district (near Kyoto) is said to have gone under a tree due to rain and a cat beckoned to the man who Lord Li followed into a temple only to have the tree he was under struck by lightning.
I also heard that instead of Lord Li being under a tree during rain he was with other samurai who took notice of a cat that was beckoning to them, so the samurai went into the nearby temple. Soon after a storm followed, saving the samurai from being stuck from getting wet and cold. However, both variations as I have heard it ends with Lord Li becoming good friends with the poor monk and the temple prospers.

Another legend tells how during the Edo Period of Japan in a place called Yoshiwara in eastern Tokyo there was a woman called Usugumo who loved cats and kept her feline companion at her side constantly. One night Usugumo’s cat was tugging at her kimono and refusing to let go. The owner of the building Usugumo was in suspected the cat of being bewitched and thus took off its head with his sword. The head flew to the ceiling where it killed a snake that was to kill Usugumo. Unhappy at her beloved cats death, a good person gave Usugumo an image of her cat in the form of a wood carving which is said to gain popularity as the Maneki Neko.

One legend tells how there were two competing ramen shops were directly next to each other, where one got a lucky cat in its window and got all the business until the shop next door got its own lucky cat.

I mentioned colours and lifted paws before with tri-coloured Maneki Neko’s being highly popular. Male tri-coloured cats are rare in the worlds cat population; this may be why tri-coloured Maneki Neko’s are popular. Some say white is of purity while black cats have been considered lucky in Japan with an apparent ability to ward off evil or cure illness in children, thus the reason for black Maneki Neko’s. Apparently, black Maneki Neko’s is gaining popularity among women to ward off stalkers. Red versions of this cat is for exorcising evil spirits and fight against illness while pink is for love. Red and pink cats were thought to have supernatural powers and actually were avoided in Japan’s past, which may be why there are few Maneki Neko‘s of such colours. The coloured Maneki Neko’s I come across most is gold, said to invite money.

I have heard that in Japan that about 60% of all Maneki Neko’s are lifting their left paws while the rest lift their right. I personally have come across a number of these cats and they are always lifting their left paw, where it is said that beckoning with the left is to bring business. With Maneki Neko’s beckoning with their right paws it is said that it is for attracting money and good fortune. Paw height is also of some importance as it is said the higher the paw the more luck for business or money and good fortune.