japanese manekineko and kokeshi dolls | |
Maneki-neko is a Japanese word meaning cat happiness. It means a Japanese traditional statue representing a ceramic cat sitting and lifting the paw at the ear, and is found frequently on the front of stores. This is literally the "cat calls". Tradition has it that we use one of these cats lifting the leg in shops to attract wealth. Lifting the leg depends on whether the cat is supposed to attract the client or to spend more money in the store. There are cats lifting both legs. There are often manekineko in homes, particularly in the form of boxes (the dough is right).
A left-leg lifting means happiness.
A straight-leg lifting means prosperity.
The Chinese also use this statue, but it is gold instead of white.
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