Why Japan’s Beckoning Cat Is Trusted To Change Luck

The maneki-neko is a small statue shaped like a cat.

It is often called a beckoning cat.

Many people think its raised paw means hello.

In Japan, fingers curled downward can mean “come here.”

So the cat is understood as inviting something to arrive.

That something might be good luck, customers, money, or protection.

The exact meaning can change depending on which paw is raised.

Its color and the time period in which it was made can also matter.