Tags: maneki neko
Old Japanese stories - the real Maneki Neko
By Muza-chan on Oct 26, 2009 | In Japan travel | 31 feedbacks »
There are many stories about the origins of Maneki Neko, the well known Japanese statue. Here’s, in my opinion, the most beautiful of them all:
At the begining of the Edo period, on the place where today is located the Gotokuji Temple, it was a small temple where a very poor monk lived, accompanied only by his cat, named Tama.

One day, a noble man, according to some writings Ii Naotaka from Hikone, was returning from hunting and, caught in the rain near the temple, took refuge under a nearby tree.
After a while, he observed a cat sitting in front of the temple’s entrance, beckoning him to enter. Surprised, the noble moved towards the cat and immediately the tree was struck by lighting.As a gratitude for having its life saved, the noble became the temple’s patron, and the temple soon became prosperous.

After the cat died, it was buried in the Temple’s cemetery and the Maneki Neko sculptures were made to honor the magical cat.
Maneki Neko are charms for good luck and prosperity, as Tama brought to the small temple. According to some sources, since then, Maneki Neko has been considered an incarnation of the Goddess of Mercy, the deity who watches over and protects people.
The temple was renamed Gotokuji Temple in 1697 and today there are hundreds of Maneki Neko, of various sizes, brought by people praying for business success, but also for their lost or sick cats.

Of course, I bought myself a Maneki Neko, which I’m keeping on my desk. ![]()

Asakusa - partea întâi
By Muza-chan on Dec 4, 2007 | In Tokyo | 6 feedbacks »
Asakusa este o zonă situată în nord estul Tokyo-lui. A fost iniţial un oraş dezvoltat în perioada Edo în jurul templului Senso-ji. în timp, a devenit o puternică zonă comercială şi culturală.
Asakusa trebuie neapărat vizitată, pentru că oferă lucruri diferite faţă de zonele noi. De la oamenii care trăiesc aici (este un lucru firesc să vezi o doamnă îmbrăcată tradiţional), la micile altare, rămase printre blocuri şi la restaurantele tradiţionale, pe care le întâlneşti la tot pasul.












A Japan Photo per Day - Torii Pathway
A Japan Photo per Day - Torii Pathway
A Japan Photo per Day - Torii Pathway
A Japan Photo per Day - Torii Pathway
A Japan Photo per Day - Torii Pathway
A Japan Photo per Day - Torii Pathway
A Japan Photo per Day - Torii Pathway
A Japan Photo per Day - Torii Pathway
A Japan Photo per Day - Torii Pathway
A Japan Photo per Day - Torii Pathway
A Japan Photo per Day - Torii Pathway
A Japan Photo per Day - Torii Pathway