Lucky Cat By Laurel Wellman

Who's that cheerful little cat, raising one paw as if waving to passersby?  Once you notice him, you begin spotting him everywhere: in the window or on the counter in restaurants and shops, tucked among the bottles in bars, perched on desks at work, and as a welcoming presence in people's homes.  He's on T-shirts and dishes, sake decanters, key chains, cell phone straps...  Moon Garden Art Store sells him too!!!

• 9. 2 coins representing the sen man dyo or 100,000 yen. (Dyo was the old Edo era currency).

The little cat is Maneki Neko--which means Beckoning Cat, though he's often just called Lucky Cat-symbol of prosperity, fortune in business, and general good luck.  He's been around for almost 150 years, though some popular legends claim he's much older.  Sill, in that century and a half, his popularity has carried Lucky Cat from his origins in Japan to Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Thailand, and around the world to become a pop culture celebrity all his own.

Maneki Neko figurines appear in a dazzling variety of styles, all with their own charm and significance.  Special meanings created by details such as which paw a Lucky Cat is raising, what color he's painted, and even what he's carrying, mean there's a Lucky Cat for every taste-and for everyone.  Some Maneki Nekos beckon love, other attract wealth or success in studies.  Lucky Cats may be crafted of papier-mache, cast in porcelain or plastic, or carved from stone or wood; they may be simple and unadorned, or ornately glazed and painted.  they may be roly-poly or sleek and elegant.  Even their facial expressions vary- ranging from serene to somber, from cheerful to meditative, from enigmatic to blissful.

For all this diversity, however, Maneki Neko is a unique icon.  Though his image has been used to sell everything from beer to electronics, and his history is a little racy, the Beckoning Cat has ranscended his origins and come to embody good wishes, hope, happiness, and luck itself.  Whether you place your own Lucky Cat in your home, at work, or elsewhere, you can always count on his cheerful support.  As the Maneki Neko Club, a Japan-based international society dedicated to promoting the Lucky Cat, says, "Fill the world with Maneki Neko!"