 Image search results - "neko" |
Temple office sells souvenirs such as the maneki neko beckoning cat in various sizes (and prices).
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Temple office sells maneki neko beckoning cat in various sizes (and prices).
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Gate to Maneki Neko Beckoning Cat Temple. There are a few theories (or legends) as to how the maneki neko (Beckoning Cat) was created. One theory comes from this temple.
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Maneki Neko Beckoning Cat Temple is a small worship hall dedicated to the beckoning cat. On the left of the temple, notice a little roofed shelf. 猫観音を祀る招猫殿
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Inside Beckoning Cat Temple. The altar's objects of worship are numerous beckoning cat dolls.
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One day, Lord Ii Naotaka was doing falconry and was on his way home when it started to rain. He sought shelter under a tree at the temple. Then he saw a cat raising its paw...He went to the cat and then lightning struck the tree he was standing under. In appreciation, Naotaka gave donations to the temple.
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On the left of the Beckoning Cat Temple is a shelf where you can offer your lucky cat after it has brought you good luck.
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Shelf for beckoning cats, maneki neko at Gotokuji temple in Setagaya, Tokyo.
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Shelf for beckoning cats, maneki neko. Gotokuji temple, Setagaya, Tokyo.
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Beckoning cats, maneki neko, which did their duty for their owners who now offer them to the temple as a gesture of thanks. Gotokuji temple, Tokyo.
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Gotokuji temple votive tablet. This cat connection with Ii Naotaka gave rise to Hiko-nyan, the official mascot of Hikone, Shiga Prefecture.
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Kotohira Shrine has this unique affiliate shrine named "Kishima Shrine" (木島神社) which is the left half of this building. (The right-half shrine is Sarutahiko Shrine [猿田彦神社] for the god of transportation and directions.)Kishima Shrine is unique in Japan for these two koma-neko cat guardians. Shrines usually have koma-inu lion-dog guardians (to ward off evil spirits), but only this shrine in all of Japan has cat guardians instead.
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Kishima Shrine has koma-neko cat guardians because silk farmers in the 19th century kept cats to protect their precious silkworms and cocoons from rats. Rats were a major problem for the silk industry.They ate the silk cocoons and worms. So cats saved the local silk industry.
The left cat is the mother (holding a kitten), and right cat is the father. Also respectively "A" and "un."
These koma-neko cat guardian statues were donated in 1832 by silk merchants and wholesalers such as the Tonomura family (外村家一族、岩滝のちりめん問屋、山家屋の小室利七) who were textile merchants from Higashi-Omi (Gokasho), Shiga Prefecture.狛猫
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Koma-neko ema prayer tablet.
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"Koma-neko Unique in Japan"
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Back view of Koma-neko.
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The left koma-neko cat is the mother (holding a kitten).
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Koma-inu lion dog also protects the shrine.
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