Where the waving cat was born: While many may associate those famous "waving cats" with Chinese businesses, their origins lie in Tokyo's Gotokuji Temple.
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Tokyo's Gotokuji Temple: According to local lore, when the temple was a small hut, the poor monk who overlooked it struggled to make ends meet. One day he asked his beloved cat to bring good fortune.
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Good fortune arrives: A short time later several samurai arrived during a rain storm, explaining the cat waved them in from the road. One was a wealthy lord, who donated rice fields and crop lands to the temple, making it the grand shrine it is today.
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A gesture of thanks: Today visitors to Gotokuji leave the tailed talismans as a gesture of gratitude for wishes that have been fulfilled.
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Kitties everywhere: There are thousands of the uniform maneki-nekos, crammed into every possible nook and cranny.
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Decoding the cats: The maneki-neko goes by many names. The waving cat, the lucky cat, the beckoning cat. It's generally believed the raised right paw is for protection at home.
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Easy access: Gotokuji Station is just a 15-minute train ride from Tokyo's Shinjuku Station. Its peaceful park also has an impressive pagoda and reflective cemetery.