Since I already did a
Ramen set for
Trinity, I thought you should have a
MANEKI NEKO - The Beckoning Cat. The inspiration for Hello Kitty; it is also a really cool legend. This particular one is a play on words.
"Steamy Ramen!"
For those who haven't heard...
Quote:
The maneki neko or beckoning cat is seen all over Japan, where the message is 'Please come in. You're welcome.' Japanese body language differs from that of the West in some respects. In particular, the gesture meaning 'Come here' is done the other way up, i.e. with the palm downward.
In the 17th century, there was a rundown and poverty-stricken temple in Tokyo. The temple's priest was very poor, but he shared what little food he had with his pet cat, Tama. One day, a wealthy lord was walking by the temple when he saw the cat beckoning to him. The lord was interested, and as he walked toward the cat, lightning hit a tree and it fell to the road where he was previously standing. Grateful to the cat who saved his life, the lord funded the temple. People came to see the temple from all over Japan, and the owner made clay statues of his cat with the left paw raised in a beckoning gesture. The 'maneki neko' temple is Goutokuji.
You've probably seen a
classic Neko statue in your favorite eatery or store.