Maneki-Neko, the Lucky Cats of Japan: Meaning and Origin

In the Japanese language, maneki-neko translates as ‘beckoning cat.’ Found all over Japan, these figurines serve as a popular good luck 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

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 in Japan and elsewhere will often be created out of ceramic or plastic. Many modern figurines are battery-operated to make the arm wave its beckoning paw.

Historical Origins of the Maneki-Neko

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 the auspicious object or engimono. Cats during this 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 their origin. 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

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 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 good luck symbols on these bibs, changing the statue’s meaning 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

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 Gōtoku-ji 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 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.