No one can quite agree as to how the first Maneki Neko came to be. The Lucky Cat, with it’s origins in the Edo period of Japan has become popular in in China and Vietnam.
One of the legends of the Maneki Neko tells the tale of a wealthy man who took shelter from a rainstorm under a tree next to a temple. He noticed a cat that seemed to be beckoning to him, so he followed it inside the temple. Shortly thereafter, lightning struck the tree he had been standing under. Because the cat had saved his life, the man was so grateful, he became a benefactor of the temple and brought it much prosperity. When he passed away, a statue of the cat was made in his honor.
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