Ceramic kokeshi doll cat, KIKU, 9 cm

The Manekineko "Maneki neko" (招 き 猫) literally translates to "the cat that invites". It is made up of the verb "maneku" (招 く: invite, provoke, in the sense of making come) and the word "neko" (猫: the cat). It is also sometimes called "the lucky cat" because of the role it is supposed to play for its owner. Traditional statue of a seated cat, raising the right or left paw (or both) to the ears. Considered a lucky cat, it has been very present in Japan since the Edo era, it is celebrated on September 29. In Japanese gestures, the position of the raised arm with the lowered hand invites the interlocutor to come, the more the paw is held high, the more powerful the effects would be. • Raised right paw makes money and luck easier • The left paw favors the welcome and the customer-boutique relationship • The two legs together protect the house or establishment The different colors: • Tricolor: The cat is white with black and red spots. This color is considered a powerful lucky charm, it is the most popular color for maneki-neko. This may be due to the rarity of this color among Japanese bobtails, the breed of cat that serves as a model for maneki-neko. In Japan, this color is called mi-ke, "triple fur". • White: White is a symbol of purity, it is the second most popular color. • Black: Black maneki-neko are believed to bring health and ward off evil spirits. They are especially popular with women as they are believed to ward off abusers. Like red, black can be associated with health, but this is rare. • Red: Red is a protective color that is believed to ward off evil spirits and disease. • Gold: Gold is associated with wealth. • Pink: This is not a traditional color, but nowadays it is popular and associated with love. • Green or Blue: It is associated with academic and university success.