Interesting facts about the lucky cat

Table of contents

1. What is the lucky cat?
2. The origin and history of the maneki neko
- The story of Gotoku-ji Temple
- The story of the samurai Naotaka Ii
- The story of the store owner and the stray cat
- The legend of the Chinese cat goddess Li Shou
3. The colors of the maneki neko and their meanings
- White: good luck and fortune
- Gold: wealth and prosperity
- Black: protection from evil
- Red: wealth and love
- Pink: romance
- Green: health
4. The meaning of the maneki neko's paws
- Left paw: attracting customers
- Right paw: wealth and good luck
- Both paws: protection and wealth
5. Maneki neko's items and accessories
- Coins (koban)
- Money bags
- Bibs and bells
- Fish, gemstones, gourds, fans, drums
6. Material selection for maneki neko
7. Placement of maneki neko
- White maneki neko: north, west, northwest
- Gold maneki neko: southeast
- Black maneki neko: southwest or north
- Pink and red lucky cats: Southwest corner (love), South corner (fame)

If you've ever been to a Japanese restaurant, Chinese store, or other East Asian business, you may have noticed a statue of a cat with its paw raised placed at the door or at the cash register. This cat is more than just a cute decoration; in Japanese (and other East Asian) culture, it is a talisman of good luck and prosperity known as the Maneki Neko.

What is a maneki-neko? 

The maneki-neko (招き猫) is a traditional Japanese figurine, meaning "beckoning cat" in Japanese, and is often referred to in English as the lucky cat, the welcoming cat, the money cat, or the fortune cat. Although it is a traditional Japanese idol, maneki-neko is also popular in China and other Chinese and Japanese communities. The Chinese name is "招财猫", which means "lucky cat".

Some maneki-neko are static, with their raised paws seemingly ready to "beckon"; others have movable arms that make the beckoning motion, usually powered by batteries or wires. Modern maneki-neko statues are mainly made of ceramic, plastic, or metal, and common colors include black, white, and gold. In addition, we can also see maneki-neko in various forms, such as key chains, air fresheners, flower pots, or piggy banks.

Origin and history of maneki-neko

There are several versions of the origin of maneki-neko, one of the most popular of which comes from the legend of Gotoku-ji Temple. Gotoku-ji Temple is located in Setagaya District, Tokyo, and is said to have had financial difficulties in the early 17th century. There are two widely circulated versions of the story:

- Version 1: A traveler passed by a temple and saw a cat "waving" at the door, so he curiously entered the temple. Then it suddenly rained heavily. The traveler was grateful for the cat taking him out of the rain and decided to donate to repair the temple, so the temple was named Gotokuji.
- Version 2: The famous samurai Naotaka Ii was resting under a big tree next to the temple. Suddenly, he saw a cat waving at him, as if signaling him to enter the temple. Soon after, lightning struck the tree and Naotaka donated money to help renovate the temple. Legend has it that the cat, named Tama, was later buried in the cat cemetery of the temple, and the first lucky cat statue was born.

Another story tells of a poor shop owner who adopted a stray cat. The cat sat in front of the shop and waved in gratitude, helping the shop owner attract customers and making the shop prosperous. Since then, the lucky cat has become a symbol of success and wealth.

The Chinese version of the legend is related to the cat goddess Li Shou, who was worshipped by people in the early days for good luck and protection.

Lucky Cats: Colors and Their Meanings

Traditionally, lucky cats are mainly white, but in recent years, a variety of colors have become popular, even with unique finishes such as gold. Each color of lucky cat has a different symbolic meaning in Feng Shui:

- White: represents good luck and overall happiness.

- Gold: symbolizes wealth and prosperity, often used to attract wealth.

- Black: is believed to have a warding effect on evil spirits, suitable for places where evil spirits need to be warded off.

- Red: symbolizes wealth and good luck.

- Pink: represents love and romance, suitable for weddings or love blessings.

- Green: symbolizes health and longevity, suitable for places that want to enhance health fortune.

Merchants usually choose the color of lucky cats based on their market positioning. For example, pink lucky cats are often seen in Chinese weddings, while gold or white lucky cats are mostly used in restaurants or commercial places.

The symbolism of left paw, right paw or both paws

Lucky cats usually raise one paw to "wave", and legend has it that this gesture brings good luck. But the left and right paws have different functions:

- Left paw raised: usually used to attract customers, suitable for restaurants, shopping malls and other places that rely on traffic.
- Right paw raised: believed to bring wealth, health and good luck.
- Both paws raised: attract customers and wealth at the same time, and also pray for blessings for businesses and families. However, this posture is not widely used because it is easily regarded as "greed" or "surrender".

Items/Accessories for Maneki Neko

Maneki Neko statues often come with accessories or decorations that symbolize good luck and wealth:

- Coins (koban): Some maneki Neko hold oval coins, or "koban", which are gold coins from the Edo period of Japan, symbolizing the abundance of wealth brought by maneki Neko.

- Money bags: The image of a maneki Neko holding a money bag represents the promise of bringing wealth.

- Bibs and bells: Usually hung around the neck of a maneki Neko, the bib symbolizes protection, while the bell symbolizes wealth and good luck (especially gold bells).

- Wrapping: Some stores wrap the maneki Neko in white paper, and the person who opens the wrapping is regarded as the new owner, symbolizing the transfer of good luck.

Other symbolic items

- Fish (such as koi): symbolizes prosperity and good fortune.

- Gemstones or marbles: symbolize wisdom, wealth and luck.

- Gourd (hyotan): represents protection, warding off evil and good luck.

- Fans or drums: symbolize wealth and prosperous business.

Lucky Cats: Different Materials

Today, most lucky cats are made of plastic or porcelain because they are affordable and durable. Plastic or porcelain products can be made into different colors and styles. In addition, there are more expensive material options, such as lucky cat statues made of jade, gold or crystal, which represent more high-end decorative needs.

In general, the choice of material for lucky cats does not affect its symbolic meaning, and you can choose according to your personal aesthetic preferences and budget.

Where to place the maneki neko

While the maneki neko can be placed anywhere, it is generally practiced to be placed at the entrance of a business or residence so that visitors can see it directly before entering. However, if you want to maximize the effect of the maneki neko, here are some tips based on Feng Shui.

White maneki neko brings wealth and prosperity

The north corner of a house or room is considered the luckiest place in the house, so if you want more wealth, place the maneki neko here. You can also place the cat in the west for fertility (if you want children) and creativity, or in the northwest corner for safe journeys and helpers in life.

Gold maneki neko, brings wealth and good luck

The southeast corner is considered the wealth corner of the room, and you can place a gold maneki neko in this corner of your room, home, or desk to pray for more wealth and fortune.

The protective effect of the black maneki neko

While black cats are considered bad luck in Western culture, it is believed that if a black maneki neko is placed in the southwest or north, it will bring more wealth. It is believed that the black maneki neko protects the house and the owner from disease. In addition, you can also place a black maneki cat in the southeast to increase your fortune.

Pink and red maneki cats bring good luck in love

It is believed that placing a red or pink maneki cat in the southwest corner of a house or room can bring love. Placing a red maneki cat in the south corner can also bring fame.