The day of the beckoning cat

If you lived in Japan any length of time, you've probably seen several beckoning cats by now. Even people who've never visited Japan may have seen a beckoning cat in their home country. I've been seeing them in Dublin, Ireland, a lot this year. In restaurants, shops and novelty stores. I've also noticed them in several American movies over the years, even movies from the 1980s and 1990s. 

The beckoning cat is the English name given to "Maneki Neko". The beckoning cat is a cat figurine that looks like its beckoning people with its front paws. There are two types of lucky charms: cats with their right hand raised and cats with their left hand raised. A raised right hand is said to invite money and good fortune, and a raised left hand invites people such as guests. According to a vendor in Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture, the country's largest maneki-neko production area, orders for "right hand" began to increase around spring 1997, and the ratio of the conventional "right 1: left 9" became "right 7: left 3". Supposedly the same trend rings true at Gotokuji Temple in Setagaya, Tokyo, which is said to be the birthplace of the beckoning cat.

Today, September 29th, is Maneki Neko day. The date of the anniversary was chosen for a pun on how September 29th is read; "kuru fuku" {Kuru (9) Fu (2) Ku (9)}, which means "coming blessing". On this day, commemorative events are held all over the country, such as the "Coming Lucky Maneki Cat Festival" at "Okage Yokocho" in Ise, Mie Prefecture.