The "lucky cat" or "maneki-neko" (招き猫) is a popular Japanese figurine believed to bring good luck and fortune to its owner. The history of the lucky cat can be traced back to the Edo period (1603-1868), where it was initially used as a talisman to ward off evil spirits and protect against illness.
Legend has it that a poor man, who owned a cat, was taking shelter under a tree during a thunderstorm when he saw a wealthy samurai pass by. The cat, sitting at the entrance of a temple, raised its paw and beckoned the samurai inside, who then avoided the lightning strike that hit the tree where the poor man was hiding. Grateful for the cat's saving grace, the samurai became a patron of the temple, which then became prosperous. The cat, believed to have brought good fortune to the temple, was thereafter revered and the lucky cat was born.