Maneki-Neko, the Lucky Cats of Japan: Meaning and Origin
In the Japanese language, maneki-neko meaning translates as ‘beckoning cat.’ Found all over Japan, these figurines serve as a popular good lucky symbol. They have also spread to other Asian communities around the world. The basic idea is that they bring good luck to their owner, which may explain their use in all sorts of places, from shops to restaurants to casinos. Discover more about these so-called ‘lucky cats’ and their origins.
Typical Characteristics of a Lucky Cat
Although it might appear to be waving, the maneki-neko figurine makes a common beckoning gesture in Japan. The hand is up with the palm down, and the fingers curling down to meet the palm again and again.
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A traditional maneki-neko shows a calico Japanese Bobtail sitting with one paw raised in a beckoning gesture. The statue has either the left or right paw raised, and the meaning sometimes differs depending on the position. Typically, businesses use a statue with its left paw raised to bring in customers. A statue with the right paw raised beckons for money, and people more commonly place them in their homes. Older lucky cat statues had their paws raised no higher than their head, but newer ones have significantly higher paws. The significance of a higher paw might be related to more luck or fortune.
The original lucky cats probably were made of clay. Maneki-neko sold today, both in Japan and elsewhere, more often will be made out of ceramic or plastic. Many modern figurines are also battery-operated to make the arm wave its beckoning paw.
Historical Origins of the Maneki-Neko
A widely accepted theory purports that potters first created maneki-neko in Asakusa, a district in Tokyo, out of clay found in a region called Imado.
©luisvilla from Nakamise street, Asakusa, Taito, Tokyo / CC BY 2.0 – License
Cats are not native to the islands of Japan. Buddhist monks or traders probably brought them from Korea or China during the Nara period, between 710 and 794. They became beloved animals in certain Japanese legends and featured widely in art and literature. In fact, cats have the honor in Japan as a protector of the Buddhist religion, most likely due to their role as rat and mouse catchers.
However, it was not until a couple of hundred years later, during the Edo period, that maneki-neko statues were created as a form of auspicious object, or engimono. Cats during this time period, between 1603 and 1868, would have been valuable assets. Silk farmers needed cats to protect silkworms from rats.
The beginning of the spread of maneki-neko figures began a couple hundred years ago in the Meiji period. By exporting these good luck symbols, Japan has made it confusing for Westerners to determine the origin of them. Nowadays, lucky cats with waving arms grace the windows of stores in China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Chinatowns around the world.
Meaning of the Maneki-Neko
Although the original lucky cat would have been white, other color variations exist. White brings good luck, black wards off evil, red supports good health, and pink encourages romance.
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The basic maneki-neko meaning is to invite all forms of good luck into a household or business. The image of their raised arm implies that they are gathering potential customers inside a shop or beckoning happiness and good health inside a home.
Variations of the maneki-neko imply different meanings, too. For example, many of these figurines wear bibs. Artisans might paint different symbols of good luck on these bibs, changing the meaning of the statue slightly. Other differences in color, size, and facial features also alter the meaning and might share something about the cat’s origin.
Maneki-neko statues commonly feature a calico color due to associations of luck and rarity with calico Japanese Bobtail cats. The standard red collar harkens back to the Edo period when housecats wore these types of fancy collars. The golden ball hanging from the collar of many figures represents money or gold.
Beliefs Surrounding the Maneki-Neko
The popularity of lucky cats in Japanese culture extends to businesses, households, Buddhist temples, and Shinto shrines.
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Japan is a country with rich folklore, and the origins of the maneki-neko are no exception. Various stories associate the origin of maneki0-neko with one shrine or another. And, since their introduction to the Japanese archipelago, cats frequently pop up in stories helping humans.
The Gōtoku-ji Temple, a Buddhist temple located in the area of Tokyo, features in a popular story as the first creator of the statues. A story says that a cat beckoned a lord to safety during a storm. This lord chose the temple as his clan’s temple, which brought great luck to the temple and its priests. The temple later started making lucky cat figurines in memory of that cat. However, other stories link maneki-neko figures with other shrines and temples, making their origin blurry.
Another popular folk story concerns a poor shopkeeper who rescued a stray cat, although he barely had enough for himself. The grateful cat stayed at the front of the store to beckon more customers in, which is the likely origin of the maneki-neko as a symbol of luck for business owners.
The photo featured at the top of this post is © LoulouVonGlup/iStock via Getty Images
