Maneki-neko Museum

The Maneki-neko Museum boasts Japan's largest collection of maneki-neko, or beckoning cats, with upwards of thousands of pieces from personal collections. But what is a "beckoning cat"? Beckoning cats are porcelain statues of cats with a paw up, beckoning onlookers as if to welcome customers into stores and in turn welcome prosperity to merchants and families. And this museum has all sorts of them!
The establishment combines Taisho-period Japanese architecture with Western accents, which were popular to the then, still internationally segregated Japan. The impressive outside of the building acts as a landmark for Seto City, where the museum is situated. Local sculptor Yasumaro Ozawa's tiles and three-dimensional pieces dot the premises as well as cat decorations in nooks and crannies around the building. See if you can find them all.

The Maneki-neko Museum boasts Japan's largest collection of maneki-neko, or beckoning cats, with upwards of thousands of pieces from personal collections. But what is a "beckoning cat"? Beckoning cats are porcelain statues of cats with a paw up, beckoning onlookers as if to welcome customers into stores and in turn welcome prosperity to merchants and families. And this museum has all sorts of them!
The establishment combines Taisho-period Japanese architecture with Western accents, which were popular to the then, still internationally segregated Japan. The impressive outside of the building acts as a landmark for Seto City, where the museum is situated. Local sculptor Yasumaro Ozawa's tiles and three-dimensional pieces dot the premises as well as cat decorations in nooks and crannies around the building. See if you can find them all.