Maneki Nekos to Watch Over Japan Part III

The continuing events in Japan remind us that help is still urgently needed, so here are my maneki neko earrings to benefit Japan.

The Maneki Neko, or Good Fortune Cat, is a traditional symbol in Japan.  It is said that a Maneki Neko with the right paw raised brings fortune, one with the left paw raised brings business, and one with both paws raised brings both.

The Maneki Neko has long been a symbol of protection in Japan, as well.  There are many stories of the maneki neko (some of which you can find right here in the blog), in which a cat saves a monastery, a lady of the evening, sailors, Santa's Elves, an emperor, and more.

Some back-story:  When the earthquake a tsunami hit two weeks ago, I began to ponder a way to help Japan, and created Maneki Nekos for Japan ~ good fortune kitty earrings whose proceeds would benefit various agencies aiding Japan.  The traditional Japanese Lucky Cats did their job.  So far, together, we raised $1030 for various relief organizations: Red Cross, Save the Children, The International Medical Corp., the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund, the Salvation Army, MercyCorps,  Peace Winds Japan, Doctors Without Borders, Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support, and World Vets

There are many maneki neko earrings available here on the blog.  The entire $30 purchase price goes to your chosen charity.  I only ask for a $3.50 shipping/handling fee to cover the cost of shipping and the inevitable PayPal fees.  For those who do not wear earrings, I can make charms, zipper pulls, and cell phone charms, too.  There are also some bracelets and necklaces available on this blog.

If you see a pair of earrings you like, leave a comment here, or message me on FaceBook.  (Messages are not seen by the public without me approving them, so your contact info is secure.)  I will send you an invoice and ask you to choose your charity from the list above.  When you pay, I will ship your earrings, send the money to your chosen charity, and send you confirmation of the donation. 


The need in Japan in great, and I am very proud that so many of you have done so much to help.


Left Paw Seashell Maneki Neko



Black Keep-Away-Evil Two Paw Roly Poly Neko



All-Knowing Yellow Left Paw Maneki Neko



Lefty Righty Keep-Away-Evil Maneki Neko (asymmetrical)



Lounging Pink Nekos



Yellow Dangling Right Paw Maneki Nekos



Smiling Two-Paw Keep-Away-Evil Maneki Nekos




Banish the Blues Dangling Two Paw Maneki Nekos



Dapper Tuxedo Dangling Nekos




Happy Coat Right Paw Maneki Nekos



Happy Guy White Crystal Keep-Away-Evil Two Paw Maneki Nekos



Red Flower Right Paw Maneki Nekos



Dainty Green Dangling Two Paw Maneki Nekos



Pretty in Pink Right Paw Maneki Nekos



Lucky Flower Topaz Two Paw Maneki Nekos



Dangling Right Paw Black Keep-Away Evil Maneki Nekos





Dangling Green Left Paw Maneki Nekos



Dangling Peruvian Right Paw Maneki Nekos



Red Fortune Two Paw Maneki Nekos

And, last but not least, Lampwork Glass Left Paw Maneki Neko

Who Was This St. Valentine Guy, Anyway?

A brief answer, in verse.



He might have been a Roman priest
Entombed on Via Flaminia
Or else a priest from Viterbo
Who caused his boss chagrinia.





Or else he was a bishop who
Hailed from Province Raetia
Unless he was the hermit priest
Who kept his life discreetia.





Whoever was Valentius
His day is rife with phobias
For men who lapse and fail to gift
On all parts of the globe-ias.





So if you shake and quake with fear
When this saint's day is nearing ya
Check out the brightandshinythings
To which I'm quickly steering-ya.

Fly Me to the Moon

 

Fly me to the moon
 


Let me play among the stars 
 

 
Let me see what spring is like 



On Jupiter and Mars 


 
In other words, hold my hand 



In other words, baby , kiss me 



Fill my heart with song 


 
And let me sing for ever more
 


You are all I long for
 



All I worship and adore
 


In other words, please be true
 


In other words, I love you



A trip to the moon.

Yet Another Maneki Neko Tale

Maneki nekos, the legendary good fortune cats, are thought to bring good luck in many forms.  A maneki neko with the right paw raised is said to bring wealth;



one with the left paw raised brings business.



White nekos protect good luck...






and black nekos protect against evil.



In earlier posts, I have told the tale of how the Maneki Nekos saved Santa's elves,



how a maneki neko named Tama saved an Edo monastery,



and how a maneki neko saved a Lady of the Night.



So today's maneki neko tale tells an earlier story ~ that of Jisho-in, a Tokyo area temple



which was founded by Kukai (Kobo-Daishi, 774-835), the priest who created the hirigana script.



According to documents that are still preserved at the temple, long ago, during the mid-16th century there was an  fight between two individuals: Toshima, who belonged to the ruling family of the area, and Ōta Dōkan (太田 道灌).  Ōta was a Japanese samurai warrior-poet, a military tactician and Buddhist monk.



Ōta and Toshima fought with all their strength and cunning, until both were close to collapse from exhaustion.  Finally, Ōta could handle no more.  The world started to spin and he could not focus his eyes.  He knew that his minutes were numbered, and he was about to go down in defeat.

He stumbled backward, tripping over a black cat ...



...who had been watching the fight unobserved.  Toshima, thinking he had triumphed, staggered off, barely coherent enough to savor his victory.

But Ōta was not dead.  The black cat led him back to the temple, and there nursed him back to health.  Each day Ota regained more and more of his strength until he was once again strong and fit.

When he knew he was once again a worthy opponent, Ōta took on Toshima once again.  This time he defeated Toshima.

Out of gratitude for the black cat which saved his life, Ōta ordered that a jizo (A Buddhist saint) be fashioned in the shape of a cat.



The statue is known as neko-men jizo or jizo with a cat face ~ the maneki neko ~



~and has been a symbol for many good things ever since.

Maneki nekos here.