From the end of the Edo periodBlessed with the blessings of ten thousand visitors and good fortune.The lucky charms that have lived in our daily lives asThe Maneki Neko (beckoning cat)..

The benefits differ depending on whether the right hand is raised, the left hand is raised, or the body color is white or black. Generally speaking, it is often said,The cat is inviting "money" with its right hand and "customers" with its left handHe said, "I am very happy to be here. andWhite cats are good for business, and black cats ward off disease.It is said that this is the case.

White beckoning cat found in a store

Black beckoning cat raising its right hand

Recently, beckoning cats in various colors other than white and black have appeared. Gold is said to bring good fortune and luck, red to ward off evil, blue for traffic safety, and pink for good marriage and love.Different regions have different benefits depending on the color and the left or right hand.

For example, in Kyoto, black cats are good for business. The one with its right hand raised in invitation is for daytime business, while the one with its left hand in invitation is for nighttime business.The black beckoning cat at Danno Horinji Temple in Sanjo, Kawabata Dori, Sakyo Ward, is well known. Another well-known black beckoning cat is the one at Danno Horinji Temple in Sanjo, Kawabata Dori, Sakyo-ku, Tokyo. The black beckoning cat of this temple, known affectionately as "Dan-no-San," isangel of the Lord YagamiThe deity has been worshipped by the people of Kyoto since the Edo period (1603-1867). The Lord Night God, whose name is translated from "Lord Night" to "Guard Night," is a god who protects the night, is respected as a fire and theft repellent, and is also said to keep an eye on the night.

Since ancient times, it has been said that cats, with their nocturnal nature and eyes that glow in the dark, have magical powers or ward off evil. It is not surprising, then, that the mystique of the black cat, in particular, with its fur like the darkness of night, became associated with the Lord Night God, who protects the night.

In terms of temples and shrines, this beckoning cat at Danno Horinji Temple is said to be the oldest.Because this beckoning cat of great faith raised its right hand, it was forbidden in Kyoto at that time to make a beckoning cat that raised its right hand, and only those with the left hand raised were made.We are told that the figure with the right hand raised appeared only in modern times.

Black beckoning cat raising left hand
(Likely created in the late Edo period)

How did the cat become the god of fortune, by the way? There is a legend in Chinese folklore that says, "A cat washes its ears, but a guest comes first.When a cat washes its face and its hands rise above its ears, it has guests.It seems to mean "Come here. The motion of a cat washing its face looks like it is saying, "Come, come," so perhaps the idea is as you see it. However, in Japan, it is said that when a cat washes its face, it rains.

The beckoning cat is said to have originated in Japan and gained popularity, but nowadays various types of beckoning cats are made in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other countries, and seem to be more integrated into popular culture than in Japan. The gold color seems to be the most popular among them. Perhaps it is a difference in national characteristics.

Although cats are not counted among the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac in Japan, as seen in the beckoning cat, cat beliefs are firmly rooted in folk beliefs and continue to be loved even as time goes by.

A white cat beckoning with its left hand encountered at Umemiya-taisha Shrine
(If you look closely, it was a hind leg...)