It’s funny the way some Japanese cultural icons spread to the outside world, eventually becoming famous symbols of Japan. Growing up I remember being aware of the Three Wise Monkeys (“See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”), which I eventually learned came from a 17th century woodcarving at a famous temple in Nikko, probably entering our cultural consciousness during the Allied Occupation. Other well-known images include the Japanese torii arch, teru teru bozu dolls children hang by the window to wish for good weather tomorrow, origami cranes, and those disturbing tanuki raccoon dog statues with certain exaggerated features. Another famous image of Japan is Lucky Cat, those statues of cats with a paw raised, which is a friendly gesture meaning “Come in!” In Japanese they’re called maneki neko (“inviting cat”) since they’re thought to invite good luck into your home or business, and companies like J-List will often display one next to a Daruma doll to help our business grow. No one is sure where they originated from, but according to one legend, back during the Edo Period a wealthy lord was taking shelter from a storm under a tree near a Buddhist temple. A cat belonging to the temple priest beckoned for the man to come near, and the moment the man moved away from the tree, lightning stuck — the cat had saved him. The lord lavished many gifts on the temple in thanks, and when the cat died, the first Lucky Cat statues were carved in his honor.
Japanese cultural images are famous all over the world.
