One well-known story involves the pet bobtail cat of a 17th-century penniless monk, thought to be the inspiration for the original maneki neko. A Japanese proverb, neko wo koroseba nanadai tataru (If you kill a cat, it will haunt your family for seven generations) is based on a folk belief that cats are revengeful and have longevity beyond human lives,” Okuyama continues. There is a deep-rooted belief in the power of cats: Look after them, and they’ll look after you. Carp fishare sometimes used to depict vigor and strength and can also be used to represent a fruitful bounty. It’s even an option for maneki neko figurines to have both paws raised and waving, acting as a protective totem. Some believe the higher the paws are raised, the more powerful the fortune-bringing gestures are. Maneki Neko Features

It’s not unusual to have numerous maneki neko on display. The figurines tend to be placed near the entrance of a business to entice new customers with their gestures. Each doll has details with specific symbolic meanings. Waving Maneki Neko

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The prevalence of the cat statues in Japan didn’t go unnoticed. In her 1927 book Animal Motifs in Asian Art, Katherine M. Ball describes maneki-neko—usually clay, sometimes papier-mâché—as “a simple and popular form of magic.”

It remains unclear how these iconic statues spread outside the islands of Japan to become so well-known throughout Asia and the rest of the world. It’s more than simple pest control though—it’s taking care of the cat that reaps the rewards. “The importance of maneki-neko lies in its mythologized power to bring good fortune to the caretaker,” says Yoshiko Okuyama, professor of Japanese at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Whatever the precise location of the statue’s origin, one thing is for sure: The cats bring in good fortune. The reason for their prevalence seems to be linked to their real-life analogs. In 1602, an imperial decree set free all cats in Japan, intending to capitalize on the felines’ natural ability for pest control, especially in the sericulture community. After the decline of the silk trade, cats by extension remained as talismans for a business’s prosperity. If the home has an office, this wealth-generating workspace and the fortune-bringing cat should be in or near this corner, with the cat facing southeast if possible. Where to See and Learn MoreCats have long been regarded highly in Japanese culture, and beloved pets are sometimes said to have mystical associations. It’s said that in caring for pets, we receive their care, too. Thus, it’s believed that good fortune comes to the caretaker. Where to Place Maneki Neko In Western culture, domestic cats make great pets. But in Japanese folklore, feline friends have protective powers and symbolize good fortune. Knowing this, it should come as no surprise that the maneki-neko is believed to represent one particularly legendary cat. The traditional maneki neko is seated, holding an oval-shaped gold coin called a koban. Maneki neko figurines tend to have red, pointed ears and carry various accessories. They often wear scarves, bells, or decorative bibs. Shop owners decorate their front spaces with the traditional cat in hopes of prosperity and good fortune and as a warm invitation for customers to enter. Maneki-neko are typically depicted seated and holding a koban coin, an oval gold coin from Japan’s Edo period. It features the phrase, sen man ryou (千万両), meaning 10 million gold pieces.