Japan’s Beckoning Cat, also known as the Maneki-neko, is considered a cultural symbol in Japan. Believed to bring fortune and good luck to its owners, the Beckoning Cat has long been celebrated in Japan and can be found in shops and households throughout the country. With its raised paw gesture and cat like appearance, no wonder why the Maneki-neko is adored throughout Japan. In this post, we’ll explore what the Beckoning Cat even means in Japan, the origins of the Beckoning Cat, and must see Maneki-neko attractions.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! **As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. What does the Beckoning Cat mean in Japan: Significance in Japanese Culture Japan’s Maneki-neko aka Beckoning Cat or Lucky Cat is a cat figurine said to bring both wealth and good luck.  The origins of the Maneki-neko data back to the Edo period (1603-1867).  Although there are many theories of the origin of the Maneki-neko, I believe the origin started at Gotoku-ji.  Is the Beckoning Cat Chinese or Japanese? The Beckoning Cat has its origins in Japan, therefore it is Japanese. What does the symbolism of the Beckoning Cat actually mean? If you look at the Maneki-neko, you will notice it has a raised paw. Some figurines will have the right paw raised while others have the left paw raised.  With the Beckoning Cats right paw raised the figurine is said to attract wealth and good luck. The left paw raised is an invitation to customers visiting a business. In most shops around Japan, you will see the Maneki-neko with its left paw in the air.  Not only does the Beckoning Cat’s paws have a symbolic purpose but the color of the figurine is just as symbolic. A white Maneki-neko means purity and positivity, black Beckoning Cats are said to defend against evil spirits, while gold is tied to financial success.  Popular Beckoning Cat Attractions in Japan We’ve Visited The Maneki-neko or Beckoning Cat is an iconic symbol of Japan. With its unique pose, one arm in the air, and fun variations, these figurines are an integral part in Japan and can be found in homes, shops, attractions, and even religious shrines and temples. Jill and I have explored quite a few Beckoning Cat attractions in Japan, from historical shrines and temples that house thousands of these feline figurines to museums that allow you to paint your own Maneki-neko. If you love Japan’s Beckoning Cat as much as we do, here are some of the recommended Maneki-neko attractions.  Gotoku-ji Buddhist Temple Gotoku-ji, probably one of Japan’s most famous maneki-neko attractions lies in the Setagaya ward of Tokyo. This historic Buddhist temple is from the Edo period and is said to be the birthplace of the Maneki-neko or Beckoning Cat.  According to the Gotokuji website, this place became famous for the Maneki-neko because a lord was greeted by a luck cat at the temple gate. When the lord entered the temple grounds and rain began to fall. The lord engaged in a conversation with the temple master at the complex and the cats luck made an impression on the visiting lord.  On the grounds of Gotoku-ji, Shofuku-den was built to house the good luck cat, the name of the good luck cat was Maneki-neko.  Today, there are hundreds if not thousands of white Maneki-neko’s at the Gotoku-ji. Style wise, the Beckoning Cats here are all the same, with their white bodies, red ears, and right paw in the air,  but differ in sizes.  Visitors can purchase their own Maneki-neko at Gotoku-ji and place the Beckoning Cat at the temple or take it home as a souvenir.  Maneki-neko Museum of Art Are you interested in painting your own Maneki-neko? You can do just that at the Maneki-neko Museum of Art in Kanayamaji, Okayama.  The Maneki-neko Museum of Art is a museum that is home to over 800 Maneki-neko’s in all colors, shapes, and sizes. This museum is located in a historical home and visitors can freely walk around to the different floors. The museum even has Beckoning Cats that date back to the Meiji Era.  You can’t leave the museum without attempting to paint your own Maneki-neko. You get a unglazed Beckoning Cat figuring and can let your inner artist shine as you paint a truly fascinating and possibly silly Maneki-neko.  Admission for the Manekineko Museum of Art is ¥600. Hours are 10:00 to 17:00 with last admission at 16:30.  For more information, you can visit the Maneki-neko Art Museum’s website. Pottery Footpath and Maneki-neko Street in Tokoname Tokoname, a city located in Aichi Prefecture, not far from Nagoya City. Famous for its pottery footpath, giant Maneki-neko head, and Maneki-neko Street, Tokoname is a heaven for those that love goofy cat statues and maneki-neko sculptures in Japan.  The Pottery Footpath in Tokoname is a pedestrian walkway in Tokoname that follows a well developed path that goes by several merchant shops, kilns, and other attractions, all related to pottery. Prior to visiting the path, there is a Maneki-neko Street that is a must visit!  Maneki-neko Street is lined with 40 Beckoning Cats created by various artists. There are a few entertaning Beckoning Cats on pedestals. Continuing on Maneki-neko Street, there are several cat statues along the side of a wall. Each statue unique in their own ways brining luck to those that travel by.  Don’t forget to get photos of Tokonyan. Tokonyan is a giant Beckoning Cat head that resting above the street. Tokonyan can be seen from the train station. This giant Maneki-neko head is an astonishing 3.8 meters tall and 6.3 meters wide.  To learn more about the Pottery Footpath and Maneki-neko Street in Tokoname, I wrote a post on our trip here:Walking the Pottery Footpath in Tokoname Urinji Cat Temple A 30-minute drive from the town of Hagi, is the Unrinji Cat Temple. With over 600 cat statues at Unrinji, this temple is known as the “Cat Temple.” Here you can find Maneki-neko statues and wood carved statues that were made by a local artist.  Besides some traditional Beckoning Cat statues, there is a Cat Buddha statue carved out of wood and some other statues on the silly side.  To read more about Urinji Cat Temple and Hagi, feel free to read my post:Visiting Hagi, Japan Where to Buy a Maneki-neko? The Maneki-neko can be purchased in almost any souvenir store within Japan from the northern island of Hokkaido to the southern islands of Okinawa.  Some antique shops will have older Maneki0-nekos. There are also specialized attractions like Gotoku-ji and the Maneki-neko Museum of Art that sells them. You can find a wide range of Beckoning Cats on Amazon. If looking to purchase on Amazon you can type in either Beckoning Cat or Maneki-neko in the search result.  Conclusion Japan’s Beckoning Cat or Maneki-neko is a symbolic figurine in Japan that symbolizes good fortune and luck, invites customers to businesses, and can ward off bad spirits. The Maneki-neko has played an important role in Japanese history and continues to be a symbolic figurine in private homes, businesses, and even shrines and temples.  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️🇯🇵  Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖  For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours  🏖️🚁  Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? 🚗🚘  I recommend checking with Rental Cars. Train Travel 🚂🚊  For the JR Pass, tickets can be purchased on the JR Pass site. 

Located in Japan’s Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture is the charming onsen town of Shuzenji Onsen. Shuzenji Onsen is rich in culture and history dating back to more then 1,200 years. Shuzenji Onsen is full of natural beauty with mountain rivers cutting through town, bamboo forests, and beautiful mountains surrounding the town on all sides. For a small onsen resort town, there is plenty to do and see here at Shuzenji Onsen. Walk the designated path that leads to all major attractions in town, explore the historical streets, sample local cuisine, and relax at an onsen at one of the famous ryokans. Visitors can also venture from town and sample local craft beer at Baird Brewery and hike to a beautiful waterfall surrounded by wasabi fields.  **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Where is Shuzenji Onsen and the Izu Peninsula Shuzenji Onsen is nestled in the mountains on Japan’s Izu Peninsula. The Izu Peninsula is located on the Japanese Prefecture of Shizuoka and is a short journey from the Mt. Fuji area.  This small town is popular among locals that live in Tokyo as it is easily accessible and a great nature escape from the world’s largest city. Visitors can take the shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Mishima Station in about an hour. From Mishima Station, it is about a 30 minute train ride to Shuzenji. Once at Shuzenji, hop on a 10 minute bus ride to the onsen resorts.  We rented a car from Tokyo and drove to Shuzenji Onsen. The route was about 150 km and took anywhere from 2 hours to 2.5 hours.  Exploring Shuzenji Onsen: Walking Course for Tourists Although small, Shuzenji Onsen has a lot of attractions that are worthwhile. Known as “Little Kyoto of Izu,” visitors can come here and not be overwhelmed by tourists like in Kyoto.  It is recommended to stay at one of the resorts and enjoy a relaxing vacation at one of the many onsen areas. Personally, we just did a day trip from the Mt. Fuji area and had no time to go to the onsen, instead we did a walking course that went to Shuzenji Temple, the Bamboo Grove Path, Kaede-bashi Bridge, Tokko-no-Yu, and ended at he Grave of Minamoto no Noriyori.  We started the walking tour at Shuzenji Temple. This temple was founded in the year 807 by a Buddhist Monk named Kobo Daishi Kukai.  The path then led us Tokko-no-Yu and the Kaede-bashi Bridge.  Tokko-no-Yu is considered to be a symbol of Shuzenji Onsen, as it is said to be the oldest hot spring in Izu with history dating back to Kobo Daishi Kukai. Visitors will also notice the beautiful red colored bridges around Shuzenji then cross the Katsura River. Kaede-bashi Bridge and Katsura Bridge are photogenic bridges that are stunning to look at especially during the autumn months when the maple leaves turn red.  My favorite stop along the walking course was the Bamboo Grove Path and I have to admit, it rivals Kyoto’s Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. This one was much smaller but without tourists, we had the bamboo forest to ourselves. It wasn’t shoulder to shoulder traffic like in Kyoto and no one got into our photos. There was a lovely path through the Bamboo Grove with nice seats in the center for a well deserved break. The final stop along the walking course before going back into town, was a brief stop at the Grave of Minamoto no Noriyori. According to a sign at the site, Noriyori was a warlord during the Kamakura period between 1185-1333. To keep the story short, Noriyori won the battle of Ichinotani, putting his name out there. There was a lot of bad blood between him and his brothers. His older brother ordered him to murder his younger brother. Once Noriyori refused, his older brother no longer trusted him. There was betrayal against the local Shogunate, and Noriyori was imprisoned at Shuzenji Temple. Later on, Noriyori committed suicide and is buried at the current site.  Venturing Beyond Shuzenji Onsen Shuzenji Onsen is a small town. Unless you plan on relaxing at the onsen resorts for an entire day, there is plenty of things to do and see around Shuzenji that are a short drive away. You could always drive the Izu Peninsula, stop at other towns like Ito and Nishizu, check out the beautiful coastline, or go on a hike. If you are like us and limited to a day to explore Shuzenji and the surrounding area, we stopped at Baird Brewing Company for an afternoon drink and then took some photos of Joren Falls and checked out the wasabi fields.  Baird Brewery Gardens Shuzenji In my Beer Guide to Japan I mention that craft breweries are starting to pop up all over Japan. Baird Brewing is one of the bigger breweries in Japan and has been brewing delicious craft beer since 2000.  Baird Brewery has several brewing facilities and taprooms, and one of the is just a quick 5-10 minute drive from Shuzenji Onsen. The taproom has been around since 2014 and has a relaxing atmosphere. Tucked into the forests on the Izu Peninsula, down a questionable road it was hard to believe that such a giant facility existed here.  The taproom here has 20 different beers on tap to include their original lineup and seasonal beers, you can order various sizes and even a flight. The interior is very inviting, there is also a large outside deck. Besides beer, they make delicious non-alcoholic drinks and have a small bar menu.  Out of the beers I had here, I enjoyed the Temple Garden Yuzu Ale, Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine, and Joie De Vivre.  Joren Falls and Wasabi Less then a 20 minute drive from Baird Brewery is one of the most beautiful waterfalls I’ve seen in Japan, Joren Falls.  There is so much more to Joren Falls then just taking beautiful photos of this waterfall. There is a large parking area here with several facilities to include restrooms, a restaurant, gift shop, and a café.  Walk behind the restaurant and there is a set of stairs that lead down to Joren Falls. Along the way there are a few gift shops and one place sells fishing poles. Visitors can rent a pole and catch trout and have them cooked there. Joren Falls is considered one of Japan’s top 100 most beautiful waterfalls. The falls is 25 meters high and the width is about 7 meters. The falls are spectacular to look at and the river below is just as beautiful. I set up my camera and took long exposure shots using my Hoya Pro ND Filter. Not only is this area famous for Joren Falls, but they grow wasabi. Wasabi fields are found in the region and visitors can try everything from wasabi beer to wasabi soft served ice cream.  Conclusion on Shuzenji Onsen Whether you are visiting Shuzenji Onsen to relax at one of the resorts or here as a day trip to immerse yourself in its culture and history, Shuzenji offers an unforgettable experience. Take in the natural beauty of this town and the surrounding village. Afterwards, go and enjoy a beer at Baird Brewery’s taproom or continue south to Joren Falls and sample a few treats that are infused with wasabi. No matter what your plan is when visiting the Izu Peninsula, it is a nice escape from the fast paced modern world.  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️🇯🇵  Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖  For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours  🏖️🚁  Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? 🚗🚘  I recommend checking with Rental Cars. Train Travel 🚂🚊  For the JR Pass, tickets can be purchased on the JR Pass site. 

Hakone, Japan is known for Owakundai, The Hakone Open-Air Museum, and Heiwa no Torii, a famous Torii Gate built on the shores of Lake Ashi. A short drive from the Mt. Fuji area and an easy trip from Tokyo, Hakone is a popular tourist destination where visitors come for its beautiful resorts, many attractions, and scenic areas. Hakone has been on my list of places to visit in Japan for a while now, mainly because of the Heiwa no Torii. I am glad I visited Hakone, but after leaving the area, I felt both satisfied and disappointed. So is Hakone worth visiting? **This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the links or banners throughout the page, whether it be TripAdvisor, Booking.com. Agoda.com, or any other affiliate, I might receive commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, you can visit my affiliate link page here. Thanks for the support! Getting to and Around Hakone Going from Tokyo to Hakone is fairly straight forward and there are multiple ways to get to Hakone from Tokyo. Most visitors traveling to Hakone will arrive via train🚝 or car🚗rental.  If renting a car is not an option. Visitors can take a train from Tokyo to Hakone. There are direct routes from Shinjuku to Hakone via Odawara. The train ride takes about 1.5 hours and costs about ¥2500 one-way. You can also take the shinkansen from Tokyo to Odawara and transfer to Hakone.  If you are familiar with driving in Japan or feel a little adventurous, I highly recommend renting a car and driving to Hakone from Tokyo. Driving gives you the freedom you want to explore. We rented a vehicle through Agoda and had no issues driving to Hakone.  Many of the attractions in and around Hakone are spread out and driving is the easiest way to reach these destinations.  Depending on the attraction, there are buses, gondolas, and boats to take you to various attractions around Hakone.  Things to Do in Hakone that are a Must If you are looking for things to do in Hakone or Hakone attractions, I came up with a few of my most recommended sites to see and places to visit. I believe one day in Hakone is plenty of time to visit the must see sites. Here are a few of the attractions and things we did, that make Hakone worth visiting. The attractions listed below are in the order of what we did while taking a day trip to Hakone from the Mt. Fuji area.  Choanji Buddhist Temple Driving from Gotemba to Hakone we first stopped at a Buddhist Temple called Choanji. There are people that say “Once you see one temple, you’ve seen them all.” I highly disagree, I’ll visit every temple I see, same goes with cathedrals in Europe. But I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit Choanji Temple, especially because it is somewhat unique.  Choanji Buddhist Temple is outside of the town of Hakone and easily reached by car. Although the temple wasn’t much to look at, the garden and unique statues made Choanji well worth a visit. There are over 200 rakan statues scattered throughout the temple grounds, each statue being unique. There was also a peaceful pond here, large cemetery, and gorgeous views.  Owakudani Visiting Owakudani is my most recommended thing to do in Hakone. The nature here was fascinating. Owakudani is a volcanic area known for it’s sulfur springs and Kuro Tamago (Black Eggs). Let’s start with Kuro Tamago. These are literally normal eggs that they boil in the sulfuric springs on site. Due to the boiling process, the outside of the eggs turn black. You can buy the Kuro Tamago at several locations at Owakudani, usually in packs of 4. It is said that with each egg you eat, it will add an additional 7 years to your life.  At the site of Owakudani, there are several buildings mainly souvenir shops, cafes, and restaurants. There is also a Geo Museum on the grounds that was worth a visit. The Geo Museum was small but it was only ¥100. There are several observation decks around the area for visitors to get views of the sulfuric springs. There is a trail that gets visitors closer to the activity, but as of today this is a guided tour only and reservations are required. Hakone Open-Air Museum One of the more surprising sites and attractions in Hakone was the Hakone Open-Air Museum. When I think of open air museums, I think of places like Shirakawa-go, historical homes and buildings that have been restored in a traditional setting. But the Hakone Open-Air Museum was more of a modern art museum in a beautiful outdoor park. I am not big into modern art, but I like the idea of it being outside in nature. Many of the sculptures were interesting and the nature was beautiful, so I do recommend visiting the Hakone Open-Air Museum.  The park itself was huge, you could spend all day here. There are numerous trails that lead to different exhibits. There is a Picasso exhibition that many might find interesting. My favorite piece of art was the Symphonic Sculpture. You can walk inside here and to the top of the beautiful stained glass silo looking sculpture.  For more information about this attraction, feel free to visit the Hakone Open-Air Museum Website. Amasake Tea House A beautiful and traditional 400 year old tea house is just a short drive from Lake Ashi. I found out about this tea house while browsing through Atlas Obscura.  The Amasake Teahouse is a thatched roof traditional building, that was used as a rest area for travelers back in the day. Today, it hasn’t changed much. Visitors are welcome to come here and relax, drink matcha tea, or try their Amazake. Amazake is a non-alcoholic rice wine. Their menu and recipes have remained unchanged since their opening 400years ago.  Hakone Shrine Hakone’s most favorite and sought after attraction is Hakone Shrine and its Torii Gate that is seen standing in the water. This is the torii gate you see on every postcard and travel article. Because of its beauty and popularity, this shrine can be very crowded with foreigners.  In Hakone, there are several parking areas around Lake Ashi. You can then walk to Hakone Shrine. Hakone Shrine is a beautiful Shinto Shrine surrounded by huge Cedar Trees. You can follow the shrine down to the torii gate or take a hiking trail that hugs Lake Ashi to the torii gate. We took the trail to the left and followed it until we reached the gate and then followed the path to the shrine.  While hiking the trail, I couldn’t help but notice how peaceful the small hike was. It followed the beautiful Lake Ashi, the trees were calm, and hardly a soul in sight. Until we reached the floating torii gate. It was a zoo here. There were at least a hundred people gathered around the gate and a long line of tourists waiting to get that iconic photo of them under the shrine with the lake in the background.  This was my big disappointment I mentioned earlier on. Now that Japan is open to tourism it has become the new normal. Every major attraction has lines now because tourists want to take a selfie with the attraction and Hakone Shrine is no different. I am simple, I have my DSLR camera and just want good shots of the torii gate with the pleasant background. Unfortunately, to get a good photo I’d have to wait in line like everyone else for 45 minutes to an hour. I found this to be a huge waste of time and just stood to the side and too quick photos once people moved out of the area. Unfortunately, my photos weren’t as good or creative as I’d hope, but it wasn’t worth the wait. It was frustrating to stand there and watch groups of people go to take photos. First they would all take a selfie, then a couple photo, then a group photo, and so on. Then the photographer would take 100 photos from different angles. This was absurd and then to think it takes 2-5 minutes per person and group with a hundred people in line.  I do think Hakone Shrine and the floating torii gate were beautiful and the area is very picturesque. But the mass amounts of tourists taking photos took away from the beauty of it all, that is just my opinion.   Lake Ashi Lake Ashi is one of the main natural attractions in Hakone. On clear days, Mt. Fuji might make an appearance offering visitors picturesque views of Japan’s most iconic mountain.  Lake Ashi is a popular attraction for several reasons. You can get great views of Fuji, see Heiwa no Torii, and take unique boat tours across the lake.  Visitors can rent boats on Lake Ashi, there are even swan boats that can be rented for ¥1500 a half hour. There is a ferry terminal here for the unique lake cruises. One of the more unique cruise ships is a boat made to look like a pirate ship.  So, Is Hakone Worth Visiting? Is Hakone worth visiting? The short answer is yes! But I personally don’t recommend visiting Hakone just to see the floating Torii Gate at Hakone Shrine. If you are like me, you’ll just be disappointed. Instead, I recommend turning your Hakone visit into a fun filled day trip and check out the other attractions and sites like eating kuro tamago at Owakudani or enjoying a match tea at Amasake Tea House.  Obviously, you can’t go to Hakone without seeing Hakone Shrine and the floating torii gate. Maybe some of you are willing to wait in line for a photo, after all it is most likely a once in a lifetime opportunity. My recommendation would be, especially if you are staying in Hakone would be to wake up at sunrise and head over the the shrine to be the late morning crowds.  Enjoying my photos and want to see more? Check out my Picfair Store. 📸   Plan Your Trip: 🗺️✈️🇯🇵  Booking Accommodations ⛺️🛖  For booking recommendations on the best deals and locations, check out Agoda or Booking.com Activities and Tours  🏖️🚁  Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.  In need of a car rental? 🚗🚘  I recommend checking with Rental Cars. Train Travel 🚂🚊  For the JR Pass, tickets can be purchased on the JR Pass site.