{"product_id":"maneki-neko-japanese-white-cat","title":"Maneki neko Japanese White Cat","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeaning of Maneki Neko\u003c\/p\u003e\nIn Japan, the beckoning cat brings good luck, happiness and prosperity. From the Japanese words Maneki ‘to invite’ and Neko ‘cat’, it literally means ‘the cat that invites you in’. Known as the lucky cat, this is one of the most famous lucky charms in the world. It can be seen in businesses, restaurants, shops and homes all over Japan.\u003cbr\u003eManeki Neko raises one front paw inviting people to come in while holding an ancient Japanese coin called a koban with the other. It usually wears a necklace with a rattle to ward off evil spirits.\u003cbr\u003eOriginally Maneki Neko was white but, over the years and with the influence of Feng Shui, other colours appeared, each with a specific purpose: gold for prosperity, black for protection, white for happiness, orange for success, tricoloured for luck in general, the latter being the most popular today.\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOrigin of Maneki Neko\u003c\/p\u003e\nOf the many legends that tell the tale of the origin of this amulet, the most beautiful is the one that was born in the Gotokuji temple in the 17th century.\u003cbr\u003eAt the time, the temple had no money and was in a poor state of repair. The old monk who lived there shared what little food he had with a cat. One day a rich feudal lord named Ii Naotaka, a samurai of the Hikone domain, was hunting nearby. Suddenly he was caught in a storm and ran for shelter under a tree. He then saw a cat in the temple waving its paw, as if to beckon him to come in. Curious, as he approached the cat, lightning struck the tree. The cat had just saved his life! The samurai was so grateful that he decided to make donations to the temple, which put an end to his precarious situation.\u003cbr\u003eFrom that day on, the cat became the symbol of Gotokuji and a famous good luck charm throughout the country. When he died, he was buried with honours in the temple, where hundreds of Maneki Neko can be seen today.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eManeki Neko, a good luck gift\u003c\/p\u003e\nOur Maneki Neko are hand-painted. Models of the same colour may have slight variations in design depending on the painter's inspiration. This makes each one unique! \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFeatures: 4cm x 4cm x 7cm , hand-painted ceramic\u003cbr\u003eMain colour: White\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Sopha Diffusion","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55592074838401,"sku":null,"price":16.6,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0279\/1649\/files\/MG_5894_2.jpg?v=1777563497","url":"https:\/\/www.rouge-shop.com\/products\/maneki-neko-japanese-white-cat","provider":"Rouge","version":"1.0","type":"link"}