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Edo's District of
Yushima
Administrator:
 A center of culture and learning.
Yushima e yôkoso! Welcome to Yushima!
In early 17th century Japan, as documented in temple records, a simple monk was in charge of a local temple in the village of Setagaya-ku on the outskirts of Edo. Although the monk barely had enough food for himself, he took in a stray cat who he named Tama and they became constant companions. As the situation at the temple worsened, the monk would say to Tama that she might be better off leaving and fending for herself. Tama did not abandon the old monk and his temple. One day, she sat beside the road near the temple gate, preening herself. A storm began to brew. A samurai Lord returning from a hunt with his men, stopped to shelter under a nearby tree. He was Lord Ii Naotaka of Hikone. As the storm grew in violence, the nobelman observed a cat sitting in front of the temple gate, beckoning to him with an raised paw. Intigued, he motioned for his men to follow him. As they moved away from the tree, a bolt of lightning struck what was seconds before their shelter. The cat had saved their lives. Lord Ii followed Tama to the temple, where he and his men were welcomed by the monk. Grateful and impressed by the monk and his cat, Lord Ii became the patron of the temple. Thanks to the lucky cat, the temple prospered. Later, when Tama died, a shrine was built in the temple cemetery dedicated to her, the bakeneko who saved the nobleman's life. The first "beckoning cat" statue was created in her memory. Word spread, and people began placing figurines of Maneki Neko - beckoning cats - in their homes, shops and temples, believing it would bring them good luck and prosperity. In 1697, the temple was renamed Gotokuji Temple. If anyone reading this knows the original name of the temple, I would be delighted to include it here.
Gotokuji Temple still exists, though what was once the village of Setagaya-ku is now a suburb of Tokyo. Under the patronage of the Ii clan, Gotokuji expanded and now includes a large graveyard where many important members of the Ii family are buried, a large Butsuden Buddha hall, a worship hall, a small older temple dedicated to Maneki Neko, a newly built wooden pagoda decorated with carved Maneki Nekos, and an office where Maneki Neko statues and wooden emas (votive plaques) can be purchased.
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