Japanese Fortune Cat "招き猫", also known as Lucky Cat or Maneki Neko in Japanese, is believed to bring good luck and fortune to its owners. It is one of the most popular lucky charms in Japan, which are often kept in businesses and homes.

 

Maneki Neko usually sits with either its left or right paw raised, or sometimes both paws, to attract customers and bring success and prosperity to businesses; and good wealth and happiness to homes.

 

 

Maneki Neko comes in many different colors. White cat signifies purity; black wards off evil; red or pink brings love; and green for academic achievement. The most traditional Maneki Neko is a tricolor cat (also known as calico cat), which is white and has random black and orange blotches on its body. Tricolor Maneki Neko has been considered the luckiest cats of all, and Cat House is glad to bring you the extensive collection of the tricolor fortune cats for your homes and businesses.

 

 

Maneki Neko is always adorned with a red collar and bell around its neck which symbolizes good fortune. This is reminiscent of the custom during the Edo period (17^th century) of Japan where cats were expensive pets and could only be found in wealthy households. Most of the affluent masters cherished their cats and will give their beloved cats red collar made of red flower - the hichirimen which is a luxury item during the Edo period, and small bells to keep an eye on their cats.

There are many legends about how Maneki Neko comes about. The most popular origins were based on the Japanese legend of the Goutokuji Temple which happened during the Edo period in the 17^th century. The story goes:

 

There was a very rundown temple in the Western Tokyo which lived a poor old priest and his pet cat, Tama. One day, a Samurai Lord was taking shelter under a tree near the temple during a thunderstorm. The lord saw a cat beckoning to him with its raised paw and he followed. A moment later the tree which he was taking shelter was struck by lightning.

 

The Samurai Lord was very grateful to Tama for saving his life and compelled to find the owner of the cat and reward him. He entered the temple and was surprised to find the old priest living in such deplorable conditions. To show his gratitude, the Samurai Lord decided to make the temple as his family’s temple and it soon became very prosperous.

 

When Tama died, it was given a burial with full respect. A statue was then made to honor the cat, reflecting the beckoning, raised paw that had brought so much good fortune and prosperity to its owner.

 

 

Japanese culture is one where objects hold meaning for absolutely everything. The smallest charms or sculpture are not just decorative but infused with many meanings. Maneki Neko is often found holding various lucky items, each having a different significance. These are some of the common symbols.

 

Daruma: Also known as dharma doll, this is a Japanese wishing doll that gives hopes for a successful outcome in life - be it finding a partner, having good health and longevity, passing an exam or achieving success in career. Usually Daruma comes with a pair of blank eyes, where one paints in one of the blank eyes to make a wish, and paints in the other when the wish comes true. When both eyes are painted, it symbolizes that the wish has been fulfilled.

 

 

Fish: Symbolizes good fortune and abundance. It also signifies strength, courage and determination, associated with the will and strength required to swim upstream.

 

 

 

Mallet: Known as a magical money mallet, is a lucky charm that is thought to bring wealth to one who shakes it. It also symbolizes protection, which shields and brings safety to one who owns it.

 

 

 

Brinjal: Fruits of abundance - signifying good fortune, bounty and prosperity. The big and perfect vegetable symbolizes good harvest with surplus.