Cats in Japanese Folklore and Culture

Entire books could be, and have been, written about cats in Japanese culture and folklore. Cats in Japan are both revered and feared with the spectrum ranging from kawaii (cute) cat characters, through to terrifying yokai cats who eat humans alive. Because the topic is so vast, this post will just scratch the surface but will include:

~ the legend of the maneki neko

~ an introduction to yokai cats

~ some folktales about cats

~ a recommendation for books and a film

~ a collection of Japanese woodblock art featuring cats.

I hope you enjoy it!