Legendary Origins of Maneki Neko

Part 2 - Legendary Origins

There are many legends explaining origins of Maneki Neko. The following would be some of them. The Temple Cat, Tama: Once, during a heavy thunderstorm, a wealthy feudal lord (some claim he is a merchant and others a Samurai) seek shelter under the tree near Gotoku-ji temple (Western Tokyo) and saw the temple priest's cat, Tama beckoning to him. He went to the direction of the cat and moments later the tree was struck by lightning. This incident resulted in him and priest becoming good friends. As a matter of time, the temple became very prosperous. After the cat died, the first Maneki Neko was made in its honor.

Gotokugi - Grave of the Cat

A Courtesan: Usugumo was a courtesan living in Yoshiwara of Eastern Tokyo who had a cat that was she loved very much. One night, this cat tugged at her kimono persistently. Seeing this, the owner of the brothel, believed the cat was bewitched and cut its head off. The head of the cat however flew to the ceiling killing a snake at instant, which was already at any ready moment to strike Usugumo. This devastated Usugumo and to cheer her up, one of a customer made a cat out of wood that resembled her pet as a gift. Eventually this became the popular Maneki Neko.

Usugumo

An Old Woman: In Imado (Eastern Tokyo) there was once an old woman forced to sell her cat due to extreme poverty. However, the cat appeared into her dreams and told her to make its image in clay. She did as per instructed and sold the statue. Soon she made more and it became very sell-able that she soon became prosperous and wealthy. This in turn led to the legendary origins of Maneki Neko.

Imado

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Historical Origins of Maneki Neko

Part 1 - Historical Origins

The meaning of Maneki Neko in Japanese is Beckoning Cat. Sources and information on the origins of Maneki Neko are rare. The exact origins are unknown. Maneki Neko the fortune cat most likely originated somewhere around the Edo period (1603-1867) of ancient Japan. However, it was only during the early 1900s that Maneki Neko started to popularize. An earlier documentary of it was produced during the 1870s in Japan's Meji's Era and there was a mention of it in the newspaper in 1876. Once, Maneki Neko was widely distributed in the shrine of Osaka too!

Cats are considered to be as wise and lucky spirits. A cat once waved to Japanese Emperor Oda Nobunaga and Samurai Li Naotaka. They paused when the cat waved and took it as a sign. That prevented them from entering a trap. Several Shrines and homes have figurines of cat that are similar to Maneki Neko in which the figurine looks like it is waving. That could just be one of its possible origins.

Some may associate Maneki Neko's gesture as a cat washing its face. Japanese believe that when a cat washes its face, a visitor will arrive shortly. This belief is somewhat related to an old Chinese proverb stating that if a cat washes it's face, there will be rain. This could hence explain the belief of this figuring cat washing its face to bring in customers. As to how it became popular in America, it is unknown. Likely, it could be due to Patricia Dale-Green who wrote about them in 1963 known as the Cult of the Cat. Another possibility could be introduction by Japanese immigrants to the US.

Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine

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The Fortune Cat of Asia

Maneki Neko - The Fortune Cat

Chinese or Japanese?
Many people would associate the Fortune Cat as having Chinese origins but in actual fact it originated in Japan. The Chinese equivalent of the Fortune cat would be a 3 legged toad. Still, the Chinese flourished this cat better than the Japanese. The cat is often associated with Feng Shui and many other Asian’s esoteric customs. Maneki Neko is the Japanese name for the cat, and besides being known as the Fortune Cat, it is also known as the Beckoning Cat, Welcoming Cat, Lucky Cat or the Money Cat. Often, this cat would be made from porcelain or ceramic, sometimes in wood or plastic too. The sculpture of this cat is usually presented with one of its paws beckoning. However westerners perceive it as waving instead of beckoning. This cat is being placed on the reception counter in many shops by business owners. It is an absolute must to have this cat placed in all Japanese restaurants, shops and companies. This cat can be commonly found and purchased especially during Chinese New Year. There are many retail shops, hawkers’ centers, coffee shops, Chinese companies and even individual households particularly in Singapore, where this cat can be found as well. The cat is believed to bring in good luck and wealth to its owner. However, this cat can bring in more than just that if you know how to choose the cat wisely.

Variations of the Cat
The beckoning of the Left, Right or both paws by the cat has different meanings. Next, the cat can be tinted in gold, yellow, white, black flower, pink, red, purple, green, blue or gray in colour. The accessory on the cat also represents different things.

Paws
The left paw refers to the beckoning of people (customers, honorable people etc.), while the right paw beckons fortune (money, wealth, and prosperity). The higher the paw is being raised, the better and more benefits it will bring in. Should both of the paws be raised up, it symbolizes protection to the owner and the property.

Colors
Meanings of the colors
White - Purity
Black - Warding away bad things and evil spirits
Red or Pink - Relationships, Love, Romances and Good health
Green - Academic achievements, Family, Community harmony and unity
Blue - Wisdom, career and success
Gold - Finances, wealth, fortune and money
Purple - Promoting of lifestyle and opportunities
Yellow/Orange - Stability and good marriages
Gray - Safety, enjoyable travels and attracting of helpful people to you

Accessories
The common accessories found on the cat can be a collar, bib, bell or coin. The collar, bib and bell can be in a form of a neckerchief or scarf around its neck, which is a common stereotype for cats belonging to wealthy people during the Edo period in Japan. The coin known as a Koban represents a thousand dollars, which is very popular during the Edo period in Japan. Koban is believed to bring in good wealth and fortune when tied onto the cat. Originally, the purpose of adding decorative to the cat is to keep track of the cat's whereabouts. This is also related to the decoration of divinity statues. Such accessories are being worn as a form of gratitude for blessings received. For the owner, the accessories channel the positive vibe in the cat, bringing its owner many additional benefits such as your incentives, bonuses, love, harmony, achievements and so on.

Couplets and Positioning
Lastly, for some of the fortune cats, there are couplets on their paw. When you purchased the cat, the couplets will come in together in a box set. The couplets represents exactly what is it in specific that you would want the cat to bring to you, thus the cat will be focusing on those things.

These cats are usually positioned in places such as living rooms, entrances, windows, and corridors in which there is abundant of human traffic, or in such a way that the cat is the first thing people would see from afar. Do bear in mind never ever to place it near exits. Placing or positioning the cat near exit will only bring you the opposite effect and results of what it is supposed to bring to you. The exit is for things that you want it to go away and never to return back to you. Please be very sure on what cat you are buying for what purpose and to place it at the correct place!

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