Seeing alone brings us joy! Encountering gorgeous maneki-neko in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan

Maneki-neko I came across in Asakusa

Many of them cost over 100,000 yen

The first maneki-neko I bought

The reason I visit Asakusa is to enjoy soba at a historical restaurant called Owariya. While heading to the restaurant, I happened to see some maneki-neko in a shop window.

They were all gorgeous, adorable, and shockingly expensive! These figurines were made of pottery, primarily from Seto or Tokoname in Aichi Prefecture.

The origin of the maneki-neko dates back to the Edo period in Asakusa. According to legend, a cat appeared in an old woman’s dream one night and told her she could become lucky by creating figures from clay. Today, nearly all Japanese people know that maneki-neko are considered lucky charms.

Although I couldn’t buy one from the shop in Asakusa because of their high price, I managed to get one online—a pink one! I hope it brings me colorful luck!

Photos by Tsukubu

Yamakichi（The shop sells gorgeous and expensive maneki-neko）

1-4-5, Asakusa, Tito-ku, Tokyo, Japan

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