Japanese Lucky Cat

Many stories have been told about the Japanese Lucky Cat or 'Maneki Neko', Japanese people love to have them as mascots, to bring good fortune, invite happiness and bring prosperity to a business. In Japan, they are placed at the entrance of houses and in store windows. There is a famous story about a very unsuccessful Priest who's cat beckoned to a traveller who was sitting under a tree outside the gates of his temple. He decided to come in and just as he moved away from the tree, it was struck by lightning, the stranger turned out to be extremely rich and he became the patron of the Temple making the Priest extremely wealthy and the Maneki Neko part of Japanese folklore!

The Popular Japanese Lucky Cat

The White Japanese Lucky Cat, is valued as the one that invites happiness.
The Black Japanese Lucky Cat, protects you from illness.
The Gold Japanese Lucky Cat, is the one that brings you riches.
A Japanese Lucky Cat raising its left hand, invites customers to a business.
A Japanese Lucky Cat raising its right hand, invites prosperity.