Maneki Neko The Lucky Charm

March 29, 2009 · Filed Under Life Log · Comment 

maneki_neko_japanese_fortune_lucky_money_cat_charm

I bought a Maneki Neko, also known as the ‘Money Cat’ or ‘Fortune Cat’ in Mandarin. I had no idea it was a Japanese good luck charm until I read about it in Wikipedia (Maneki Neko) , it says:

The Maneki Neko (招き猫, literally “Beckoning Cat”; also known as Welcoming Cat, Lucky Cat, Money cat or Fortune Cat) is a common Japanese sculpture, often made of porcelain or ceramic, which is believed to bring good luck to the owner. The sculpture depicts a cat (traditionally a Japanese Bobtail) beckoning with an upright paw, and is usually displayed—many times at the entrance—in shops, restaurants, pachinko parlors, and other businesses. Some of the sculptures are electric or battery-powered and have a slow-moving paw beckoning. In the design of the sculptures, a raised right paw supposedly attracts money, while a raised left paw attracts customers.

I always wanted a Maneki Neko, but most of the sculpture I came across are coated with a layer of shiny gold like material or it usually comes with a slow-moving paw that is ugly. Maybe luck wasn’t on my side until I stumbled upon this cute looking Maneki Neko at the Japanese Food Store in NZX Ara Damansara.

Do I feel lucky or richer? Not really, thanks to Maneki Neko, my wallet is short of RM28.

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