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Maneki Neko: The Lucky Cat

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Maneki Neko caller of good luck

The Maneki Neko is a popular lucky charm often seen in Asian stores and businesses. The Maneki Neko is typically found around the front desk or cash register. This feline figure is said to call in good luck and good fortune. He typically holds a gold coin or ingot in one hand while beckoning customers into the establishment with the other hand.


 


He has several names: Maneki Neko, The Lucky Cat, The Money Calling Cat, The Beckoning Cat, Money Cat, Fortune Cat. 



Maneki Neko image by ichineko

Bringer of Great Fortune and Good Luck

among other things

Golden Hello Kitty Maneki NekoThe Maneki Neko is associated with money and wealth. This is the primary reason for displaying a Maneki Neko inside or near a business establishment. Placed near the front of the shop, it can call customers and good fortune to your place. As a Feng Shui cure it finds a place near the wealth corner of a house or office to help energize this wealth-attracting area.

However, this is not the only symbolism for this fortunate feline. Modern manufacturers have attached more complicated and specific meanings to each aspect of this figure. Characteristics such as color, accessory, and even the handedness of the paws signify different things. These different characteristics may even differ from manufacturer to manufacturer!

As a symbol of good fortune, I find the idea appealing. It's a cat welcoming people. The image calms and uplifts the spirit in the same way a friendly pet would. Maybe that's why it's considered lucky.

photo archangeli

Maneki Neko on a shirt

Bring your cat around!

Some people have made charms, keychains, buttons and shirts with the lucky cat. Why leave the lucky cat in one place? Bring it around and keep your fortune flowing wherever you go. Look below for some lucky shirts.
Lucky Cat Women's Plus Size Scoop Neck T-Shirt

Lucky Cat Women's Plus Size Scoop Neck T-Shirt

Price: 28.69' Buy Now

Lucky Cat Women's T-Shirt

Lucky Cat Women's T-Shirt

Price: 19.19' Buy Now

Lucky Cat Jr. Jersey T-Shirt

Lucky Cat Jr. Jersey T-Shirt

Price: 22.79' Buy Now

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Maneki Neko Colors

Calico - considered the luckiest color pattern on a Maneki Neko. Most of the older and more traditional statues typically have this or white as its color.

White - denotes purity and spirituality.

Black - protects against evil spirits as well as against people with harmful intentions.

Red - exorcises evil and illness

Gold - the fortune, luck and money color. A modern invention.

Pink - another modern color and relates to love and emotion

Maneki Neko Button

Pin on to add luck

They say the Black Maneki Neko protects its wearer. Pin this to clothes or personal effects to deflect unwanted attention. Now that's a welcome kind of Luck!

Maneki Neko Black button
Maneki Neko Black by candybox
View more Maneki Buttons

Maneki Neko Accessories

Ema from Toyokuni ShrineMany cats went bare handed. However, manufacturers would add some accessories to our luck cat to make them more auspicious. These are some common items you would see.

Koban is a gold coin from the Edo period of Japan. This is the traditional item held by the cat. Modern cats have gone global and a Chinese gold ingot is sometimes used.

Some items represent things associated with the 7 Lucky Gods:
Fish/ carp - denotes Ebisu God of Good Fortune, the Ocean, & Fishing Folk
Hyotan - a sake bottle made of a hollowed gourd. Associated with Fukurokuju the god of wisdom and longevity.
Uchide no Kozuchi - the magic money mallet of Daikoku Mantra, the god of wealth and farmers

Others represented objects from Spiritual Traditions
Daikon is a giant white radish. The vegetable is often used in rituals, frequently as offerings or ceremonial food.
Ema - prayer tablet. Traditionally used to offer prayers, wishes or thanks.
Daruma - the Japanese name for Bodhidharma.
Crystal ball - the sphere is thought of as a perfect shape. Crystals amplify energy. This is more a Chinese tradition.

photo by Fg2 of Wikimedia Commons

Find a Cat for the Counter

...or maybe for your cellphone

The Maneki Neko now appears in even more places. With smaller figures you can put the luck calling cat on phones, bags and even bracelets.
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Solar Powered Maneki Neko

Sola Hidamari no Maneki Neko Executive Gift

This is a variant of the popular Sunshine People/ Hidamari no Tami solar figurines from Japan. Yes, these good luck kitty are solar powered. No need to replace the batteries frequently. These Lucky Maneki Neko gently bob their head sideways. It's relaxing to watch just like those stress relieving executive toys. I bet some anime fan would appreciate having this in the office or cubicle. De-stress while attracting wealth - it's good value for money.

If you want to know more about the original Hidamari no Tami manufacturers, this is the Official Takara-Tomy site . Warning: Japanese language site
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The Lucky House Cat

Draw good fortune to your space

You can do a little feng shui decorating with these cats.
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The Hello Kitty Maneki Neko

Here's one very lucky kitty

Popular legend has it that Hello Kitty was actually based on the Maneki Neko. I guess we shouldn't be surprised that Hello Kitty would do some Maneki Neko cosplaying!

This has got to be my favorite - the Swarovski Hello Kitty Maneki Neko

Get your own Hello Kitty Maneki Neko

Sanrio Kitty as a Lucky Cat

It's not as dramatic as the big one in the above link but it's still cute! We have a lucky cell phone charm and lucky cat figurines.
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For the Online Entrepreneur

Put the Maneki Neko on your internet doorstep

Is your career heavily dependent on computer work? Are you a stay at home parent with a stay at home job? Are you really, really, desperately in need of a lot of World of Warcraft Gold? This army of lucky cats sit right at the gateway of your money source.

Lucky Cat Mousepad mousepad
Lucky Cat Mousepad by kazashiya
View a different mousemat on zazzle

Lucky Cats mousepad
Lucky Cats by natural_magic
Buy a cheap mousepad at zazzle.com

Maneki Neko kitty mouse pad mousepad
Maneki Neko kitty mouse pad by ValeriesGallery
Browse more Maneki Mousepads

Maneki Neko Wallpaper

Maneki Neko Wallpaper by Katze Cat

Think your desktop Maneki Neko need reinforcements? Put up a lucky cat desktop wallpaper.
Picture above by Katze Kat Kuroneko

Here are some more lucky cat wallpaper for your computer
lapsan
wallpaperzen
ballookey

Crystal Maneki Neko

A crystal enhances energy. Pair this with a maneki neko and you can augment the fortune already flowing.
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What does your Neko look like?

  • Lemming13 Oct 29, 2011 @ 9:16 am | delete
    I have lots: 12 ones made from kimono fabric, with lucky carp, mallets, gourds and all; three ceramic ones in a basket, pink, black and white; and I even made an egg-shaped wooden pencil sharpener into a maneki neko. Thanks for this lens on my favourite luck charm.
  • Snakesmum Aug 24, 2011 @ 1:06 am | delete
    Don't have one, but have often seen them in shops in great variety. :-)
  • Gail47 Jun 29, 2011 @ 4:10 pm | delete
    This is quite an interesting lens. Good job!
  • GreenfireWiseWoman Jun 24, 2011 @ 2:30 pm | delete
    Very interesting. Thank you.
  • A-Redneck Apr 29, 2011 @ 5:03 pm | delete
    I had never heard of Neko before but I think he looks very much like the pink American "Hello Kitty". Great article. I will have to look for my own special Neko :)
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Lucky Cat Links

OnmarkProductions
Onmark Production's Maneki Neko Page. Has a lot of information about the history of the Maneki Neko. It also explains the maneki neko lucky symbols on the cat body.
Action Cat
Action Cat's Page of Animated Gif Maneki Neko. Get your mobile neko now!
Sushi CAt
A List of Maneki Neko Color Meaning. Also has the Maneki Neko Gram.
Ichineko
Website about Maneki Neko and Japanes culture.
BrettB Travel Log
One page features the Gotoku-ji temple where the Maneki Neko supposedly lived.
Tiger Solar Maneki Neko | Goods From Japan :: Japan Shop
Solar Tiger Maneki Neko pics
APPSBYTES ::: Best Android Apps
Maneki Neko (Lucky Cat) Widget
Persona blog
An old Japanese tradition, the Maneki Neko has become a popular collector's item all over the globe.

Most Unusual Maneki Neko

World's Biggest Maneki Neko
From Tokyo Tom Baker's blog

This could qualify as the world's largest lucky kitty. I wonder if there are other big size Maneki Neko out there.
from chobi-cat
So far this is the runner up
from chobi-cat
another Maneki Neko Statue from Japan
From Superwhite's blog
A mall decorates with some very large Maneki Neko
Oldest Maneki Neko
Here are some antique Maneki Neko figurines. Look out for the one from the Tokugawa period.

Large Maneki Neko

commercially available

This lucky cat can stay indoors or outdoors. At nearly one foot in height it is a very large cat. With a weight of 18 pound, this should not be placed onto a counter or tabletop unless you have one very sturdy table. However in makes a good Maneki Neko Garden Cat.

This Maneki Neko was cast from an original sculpture by Peter Tyber.
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Smallest Maneki Neko

Lucky Cat Beads

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More Feng Shui Lenses

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Neko News

Review time! with Drawn In
The second story, ?Maneki Neko,? is by Alisha Dacus. It's a charming story about a cat named Saki that that gives good luck, based on the legend of Maneki Neko, the beckoning cat. Saki wanders around Seattle looking for food (her owner hasn't woken up ...
Watch: An Art Piece Where 520 Lucky Cats Wave in Unison
The sight of one Maneki Neko, or ?Lucky Cat,? beckoning to you from behind a shop window is cute--if you even happen to notice it at all. There's definitely no way to miss the stares of the 520 felines in media artist Boris Petrovsky's Global Pursuit ...
International artists bring Israeli cowboys and English rabbits to Fusebox
In other scenes, the Asian-born performers frolick with a golden Maneki Neko (Lucky Cat) head and pull chopsticks from a carefully placed hairstyle. A highlight of the piece's wry approach to stardom was a lip-synced performance of a goopy Israeli pop ...
"Gatti mannari" invadono Tokyo: orecchie bioniche leggono mente
(TMNews) - Schiere di "gatti mannari" invadono Tokyo: non è un nuovo film di fantascienza ma l'ultima, eccentrica trovata "Made in Japan" che mette insieme l'alta tecnologia e la passione nipponica per i "maneki neko", i graziosi gatti portafortuna.
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Lens Trivia

12 12 2010 SquidAngel tembrooke blessed your lens Maneki Neko: The Lucky Cat. (A SquidAngel blessed one of your lenses!)
Thank you for the blessing!

You just got a "Lucky Leprechaun Blessing" from SquidAngel TheLeftFitz who really loves your lens Maneki Neko: The Lucky Cat. Happy St. Patrick's Day
Thanks LeftfFitz!

SquidAngel Gail47 blessed your lens Maneki Neko: The Lucky Cat
06/30/2011
Thank you Gail47!

updated: 10 9 11

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