Expect a lot of lucky cats in this temple and hopefully, more luck! Meet Gotokuji Temple, located in the Setagaya ward of Tokyo. The temple is believed to be the birthplace of the maneki-neko (‘luck inviting cat figurine’). You know, the lucky cat figurines that feature a cat sitting up and raising either their right or left paw. Live Japan has more details:
Temple legend states that during the early 17th century, Ii Naotaka (then the second lord of the Omi-Hikone Domain) escaped from being caught in a sudden thunderstorm after having been invited inside the temple by a cat that lived there. To show his gratitude to the cat, Naotaka decided to dedicate the temple to the Ii clan. After Naotaka passed away, the temple was renamed to Gotokuji, from his posthumous Buddhist name “Kyushoin-den Gotokuten ei-daikoji.”
The cat that created that opportunity for the temple to grow into a respectable and important place was deified as “Fortune-Inviting Kannon.” The cat was later said to bring good fortune, being called “shou-fuku byou-ji” or “maneki-neko.” Gotokuji Temple has been filled with lucky cat figurines donated by worshippers ever since.
Image via Live Japan