00:00 [Music]
00:12 The famous lucky cat.
00:14 In Japanese, it's actually called beckoning cat.
00:18 Beckoning with its right paw, it attracts wealth, while the left brings business.
00:24 You'll see them decorating both homes and shops.
00:27 [Music]
00:33 The Japanese began keeping cats indoors in the 17th century, originally to hunt mice.
00:38 [Music]
00:44 Gradually, they became the much-loved pets they are today.
00:47 [Music]
00:54 Go-Tokuji temple in Tokyo has a corner stacked with hundreds of these dolls.
00:59 [Music]
01:02 The legend of the lucky cat started in this temple, so people put the dolls here to wish for good fortune.
01:08 [Music]
01:13 We're starting a company together and we prayed for it to be a success.
01:17 [Music]
01:19 So why is the lucky cat supposed to bring good luck?
01:22 It's a story from about 400 years ago.
01:25 [Music]
01:28 A lord was passing the temple gate one day,
01:31 when he saw a white cat that seemed to be beckoning him with its right paw, like this.
01:39 [Music]
01:40 Intrigued, the lord followed the cat into the temple.
01:44 Just at that moment, a flash of lightning struck the exact spot where he would have been.
01:49 [Music]
01:51 The story of how the cat saved his life spread,
01:54 and people began visiting this temple hoping to be blessed with similar good luck.
01:58 [Music]
02:03 A train line passes close by the temple.
02:08 One of the trains painted in lucky cat designs runs on a random schedule,
02:12 so it's considered to be good luck if you catch it.
02:15 [Music]
02:20 The city of Seto in Aichi has always been a major ceramic center,
02:25 and this is where most lucky cat dolls are made.
02:28 [Music]
02:32 This unusual Seto museum hosts a collection of about 5,000 lucky cat ornaments from all over Japan.
02:38 [Music]
02:42 Most are ceramic, but there are paper ones too.
02:48 They feature many types of expression and unique regional designs.
02:53 It's easy to see how deeply loved this lucky charm is by the Japanese.
02:59 [Music]
03:01 Seto holds a lucky cat festival every September.
03:06 [Music]
03:09 It's an occasion for the whole city to dress up as cats.
03:13 [Music]
03:17 There are cat songs and cat dances, and everyone has a lot of fun.
03:22 [Music]
03:26 During the festival, you can take a workshop in doll making
03:29 from a local ceramic artist who makes lucky dolls for a living.
03:33 [Music]
03:36 There's also an exhibition featuring selected dolls by artists from all over Japan.
03:42 Every year, the designs seem more creative and original.
03:47 [Music]
03:51 The lucky cat is an interesting subject for artists.
03:54 It inspires them to create unique designs showcasing their talents in so many ways.
04:00 Seto is proud of our craft traditions,
04:02 and we love the challenge of imagining variations on this local theme.
04:06 [Music]
04:09 This Japanese tradition has caught the imagination of people worldwide,
04:13 and many countries have started interpreting the concept in their own unique ways.
04:17 [Music]
04:21 Throughout the ages and around the globe,
04:24 these dolls continue to summon good fortune.
04:27 [Music]
04:29 [Silence]
04:35 [Mouse click]
04:36 [Bell ring]
04:37 [Silence]
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