Japan Holidays - Cat Day

Cats are one of the most revered pets in Japan Their images and figurines displayed at the entrance to houses symbolize coziness and comfort Therefore, the fact that it was the Land of the Rising Sun that initiated the celebration of Cat Day will not be surprising The initiators of the day of honoring cats were Japanese manufacturers of pet food, including for cats The day during which the furry animals became “names” was chosen with the originality inherent in the Japanese Residents of the Land of the Rising Sun think that their pets emit not the “meow” familiar to Europeans, but “yum” Then everything happens in accordance with the logic and norms of the vocabulary of the Japanese language The cat's meow "nyan-nyan-naya" is translated into other languages ​​as "two-two-two", therefore, cat day should be celebrated on the 22nd day of the 2nd month, that is, February 22 The same companies initiated the creation of an executive committee for this celebration The responsibilities of the created committee include not only holding various events on this day, but also popularizing and disseminating information about the habits and tastes of small animals to the maximum number of people, as well as working to increase the number of “master” Murzeichs and reduce the number of street cats It is generally accepted that the ancestors of modern “Japanese” breeds came directly to Japan from China around the 6th century AD This opinion is based on written sources, which indicate that cats “protected” transported sacred Buddhist books from damage by mice Considering the fact that Japan had “its own” wild forest cats, mixing with imported furry cats, they gave impetus to the appearance of characteristic features inherent only to Japanese breeds For example, Japanese bobtails either have no tail at all, or their tail is so short that it resembles a small pom-pom, which can be compared to a hare's tail Over time, furry animals have so captured the minds of local residents that Japanese culture is unthinkable without their participation Felines appeared in fine art and literature during the Heian period, during which (794 - 1192) a separate breed was developed - the Japanese bobtail In modern Japanese popular culture - anime - they are an invariable attribute of both stylized images and figurines, and animated and feature films, as well as carnivals and other entertainment events The central place in Japanese mythology associated with cats is occupied by a figurine of a cat with a raised paw - maneki-neko This figurine or image symbolizes the wish for good, prosperity and good luck The appearance of a strictly stylized pose is connected by two myths In the first, a figurine made of clay in the classic maneki-neko pose and presented by the master to the owner of a small confectionery shop came to life By “washing” the guests, this cat saved the woman from ruin and brought prosperity to the house, serving customers together with the hostess In the second legend, a cat saved a wealthy landowner from death during a terrible thunderstorm It seemed to a man hiding under a tree that a cat sitting on the threshold of a Buddhist temple was calling him to her As soon as he came out from under the tree, a huge lightning struck his shelter and destroyed it The man not only entered the temple and petted the cat, but also became friends with the monk, and his subsequent life was spent in prosperity and good fortune