Beckoning Cat Statues at Gotokuji Temple, Tokyo, Japan

About the Picture

Maneki Neko (beckoning but also lucky cats), statues found in Daikeizan Gotokuji Temple, a Buddhist temple in Setagaya ward, Tokyo, Japan.

I love these beautiful beckoning cat figurines, with the right paw raised to bring luck and prosperity to the owner and the family.

You can find hundreds if not thousands beautiful cat statues on a Temple grounds in all sizes from very tiny ones to large, all of them inviting good fortune and also they bring visitors to the Temple every-single-day.

When traveling Tokyo, I’m quite sure it’s a must visit spot for all the cat lovers, can remember thinking about friends of mine that would certainly put the Gotoku-ji Temple on top of their Tokyo itineraries.

This beautiful Buddhist Temple is often referred to as the birthplace of the Maneki Neko, the iconic “beckoning cat”. Wandering among them, I felt both curious and delighted. It’s not every day you’re surrounded by an ocean of cats seemingly calling you forward.

As I already mentioned before, when the right paw of the Menoki Neko is raised, it’s intended to attract wealth or good luck; but when the opposite – left paw is raised, it’s believed to attract customers or visitors. When it comes to Gotokuji Temple, they seem to attract visitors (it’s quite popular landmark), and I hope they bring wealth and good luck to those, that decided to visit.

As on the picture, you can see most if not all of them have the right paw raised, and if I knew about left/right paw meanings before, I would certainly try to spot some with left paw raises, maybe you, when traveling to Tokyo and the Temple can find some cat figurines with left-paw raised?

Story About Maneki Neko Legend

I love the story about origins of the Maneki Neko Legend. Many believe that Gotokuji Temple is one of the earliest, if not the original, homes of the Maneki Neko tradition. The legend often told involves a feudal lord who was passing by the temple (at that time, a humble place) when he saw a cat beckoning him to enter.

He followed the cat inside. A moment later, a severe lightning storm (or, in some versions, a bolt of lightning) struck the spot where he had been standing. Grateful to the cat for saving his life, the lord donated a significant sum of money to restore the temple, thus beginning the cat’s reputation as a harbinger of good fortune and protection.

Most of the cat figurines you will find next to Shofuku-den Manekineko part of the Temple grounds.

I highly recommend visiting Daikezan Gotokuji Temple official website, where you will find tons of interesting information about the Temple, beautiful images but also what you can buy at the shop, when visiting the Temple. The store is very popular, so you can buy only one Maneki Neko cat figurine during same visit.

Visitors, often after purchasing Maneki Neko figurine from the temple’s gift shop write prayers or wishes and leave the statue on the temple grounds. Once those prayers have been answered, it’s tradition to return to the temple and retrieve your cat statue – or offer another cat in gratitude. This practice is what causes the temple’s population of ceramic felines to multiply steadily.

It’s said that many people who have had their prayers answered bring yet another figurine – sometimes bigger than the first – to express their continued gratitude. When visiting, you will notice cats, all standing in silent testimony to the Temple’s reputation for answered prayers.

Here, I share with you just a small portion of the beckoning cats you find next to Shofoku-den Manekineko in Gotoku-ji Temple, feel free to download the picture and use it on your blog, travel or cat-related articles.

Oh, and by the way, it’s free to visit Gotokuji Temple in Tokyo!