Tokonyan, the Guardian Cat of Tokoname

Tokonyan is the giant maneki neko (lucky cat) figure that peeks over an embankment halfway along Tokoname Maneki Neko-dori (Lucky Cat Street). The name “Tokonyan” is a combination of “Tokoname” and the meowing sound made by a cat (nyan) in Japanese. Since its creation in 2008, the statue has become a beloved symbol of the city and a popular subject for photographs.
Tokonyan is 3.8 meters high and 6.3 meters wide, making it one of the country’s largest maneki neko. Even though Tokonyan is only a head and a raised left paw, it welcomes everyone from its prominent position. A careful search along the wall near the statue reveals that Tokonyan is accompanied by 11 small and realistic figurines of cats.
Tokoname Maneki Neko-dori, which connects Tokoname Tojiki Kaikan (Ceramics Hall) and Tokoname Station, is lined with 39 modern interpretations of maneki neko made by artists with links to Tokoname. Each cat is said to offer a specific blessing, such as a happy marriage, good health, or the successful completion of a task.

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This English language text was created by the Japan Tourism Agency.