Abacus Maneki Neko Figurine 'Soroban'
Maneki neko in white glazed ceramic with black ears, holding a black abacus in one paw, with a gold coin, a bag and pines painted on the body, on a red cushion. 11 cm.
Abacus Maneki Neko Figurine 'Soroban'
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The short answer
Beckoning cat in white glazed ceramic with black-patched ears, one paw raised holding a black abacus with red beads, the other on the belly, painted with a gold oval coin, a red fortune bag, green pines and a cord, a red collar with brass bells, on a red brocade cushion. 11 by 11 cm.
Fabric & care
The composition is stated in the description and printed on the inner label. Machine wash cold, inside out, with similar colours. Hang to dry. Iron on low, inside out over prints or embroidery.
Shipping & returns
Shipping is free on every order, with no minimum. Duties and import taxes are prepaid at checkout. Orders leave in 1 to 3 business days and take 6 to 12 business days on average; a tracking number is emailed on dispatch.
You may return any item within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. Write to contact@yonaku.com and we email you a prepaid label.
What we sell, and what we don't
Japanese designs, made in Asia. Cotton, linen or polyester as stated on each piece, never silk. We name every garment for what it is: a kimono jacket is not a haori, an unlined kimono is not a yukata.
- Free shippingEvery order, no minimum
- Duties prepaidNothing to pay on delivery
- TrackedNumber emailed on dispatch
- 30-day returnsFree, prepaid label
- Sizing helpRuns small: take the larger size
- A person repliesText or email, no bots
About this piece
Calico lucky cat holding an abacus, with a gold coin and a fortune bag
A cat doing its accounts. This lucky cat is white glazed ceramic with black patches on the ears, one paw raised and holding a black abacus with red beads, the other paw resting on a belly painted with a gold oval coin, a red fortune bag, green pines and a red cord, with a red collar and brass bells. It is the merchant's cat, and the abacus is the joke.
It is the cat for a desk, a till or an accountant, and the coin on its belly is the old gold one of the Edo period.
The name, Soroban, is the abacus, the thing the cat is holding, and the cat is named for its tool.
The cat is glazed ceramic, cast hollow, painted and fired, with the collar a real red cord and the bells real brass. It sits on a red brocade cushion, as photographed.
Put it where a shop puts it: by the door, on the counter, facing the room, with the raised paw towards the people coming in. In a house that is the hall table, the kitchen shelf or the desk. The right paw raised is for money and the left for people; both raised is for both, and most of the cats here are greedy.
The abacus is the detail: a separate black frame with red beads on rods, held up in the raised paw like a tablet, and it is what people pick the cat up to look at. The gold coin on the belly is painted with the character of the old coinage, and the pines are the green of long life.
The beckoning cat began in Edo, with a temple cat that waved a lord in from a storm, and it has sat at shop doors ever since; the raised paw is the Japanese come-here, palm down, which a Westerner reads as a wave.
Dust with a soft cloth; wipe with a damp one if it needs it. It is ceramic and it breaks, so keep it off the edge of the shelf. The cushion can be sponged.
From across a room it is a white cat holding something black. From close the black is an abacus with red beads, the belly shows its coin, and the bells their brass. It is the cat for a person who counts.
It is 11 by 11 cm, the size of a fist, and it sits on its cushion at the same scale as every cat in the collection, so the pages compare.
Questions about the maneki neko
What is a maneki neko?
The beckoning cat: the ceramic cat with a raised paw that sits at the door of a Japanese shop and asks customers in. The story starts in Edo with a temple cat that waved a lord in from a storm.
Which paw, and what do the colours mean?
Right paw raised is for money, left for people, both for both. White is the classic; pink is love, red is health, blue is work and study, black keeps bad luck out, orange and gold are money, purple is rank.
Is it a money box?
Most are: a coin slot at the back and a stopper underneath. The abacus cat, the solar cat and the large pink cat are figures without a slot. Each page says which.
Is it made in Japan?
No. It is a Japanese design, made in Asia. We say so on every page.
What size, and is the cushion included?
Most cats are 11 by 11 cm, the size of a fist; the round-eyed cats are wider, and the large pink cat is 20 cm. Every cat is photographed on its red brocade cushion at the same scale, so the pages compare.
How do I look after it?
Dust with a soft cloth, wipe with a damp one. It is ceramic and it breaks, so keep it off the edge of the shelf. Sponge the cushion.
What we sell, and what we don't
Japanese designs, made in Asia. Cotton, linen or polyester as stated on each piece, never silk. We say so on every page, because the alternative is selling you a word instead of a garment.
On the record
| Piece | Abacus Maneki Neko Figurine 'Soroban' |
|---|---|
| Chapter | 家Home |
| Collection | Maneki Neko |
| Fabric | Glazed ceramic, cord collar, brass bells |
| Sizes | 11 x 11 cm |
| Made | Japanese design, made in Asia |
| Reference | YONA-0641 |
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