800 types of ‘beckoning cats’ wave hello at Japan’s Manekineko Art Museum

OKAYAMA: The Manekineko Art Museum in Okayama City is Japan s first museum to especially exhibit beckoning cats, which are said to bring good luck to...

OKAYAMA: The Manekineko Art Museum in Okayama City is Japan's first museum to especially exhibit beckoning cats, which are said to bring good luck to business owners and others.

Manekineko, or beckoning cats, are found in various forms across Japan, such as the ones commonly seen on display in stores to wish for the business' prosperity. The exhibition features about 800 kinds of manekineko, ranging from folk toys in Saitama and Tochigi prefectures to modern ones with bright colors.

The most eye-catching one is a huge piece titled Kinpuku, or gold fortune. Produced in the early 20th century, it is made from the wood of a camphor tree. It stands about 120 centimeters tall and weighs about 100 kilograms.

"Thanks to good luck brought by the beckoning cats, our museum has been visited by many people," said Osamu Mushiake, 57, director of the museum.

Opened in October 1994, the museum celebrated its 30th anniversary last year. Mushiake's father, Teruo, 82, who was an architectural designer, opened the museum to display the beckoning cats he had collected from places all across the country. Mushiake took over as director five years later.