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China: Qingdao Cat Goes Viral for Adorable “Beckoning” at Café Counter

On November 21, 2025, in Qingdao, Shandong, a tabby cat at the “One Tree Cat Life” café stood on the counter and rhythmically moved its front paws, as if politely bowing. Glancing at the camera with wide, pleading eyes, the gesture was irresistibly cute. Chinese netizens joked, “The owner couldn’t afford a Maneki-neko, so the real cat took over!” The video quickly went viral as a symbol of good luck.

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Calligrapher writes kabuki actors' names

A calligrapher writes in the traditional "maneki-gaki" writing style kabuki actors' names in Kyoto on Nov. 7, 2025, on signboards to be used to decorate the Minamiza theater in the western Japan city during a year-end kabuki show.

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Calligrapher writes kabuki actors' names

A calligrapher writes in the traditional "maneki-gaki" writing style kabuki actors' names in Kyoto on Nov. 7, 2025, on signboards to be used to decorate the Minamiza theater in the western Japan city during a year-end kabuki show.

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Calligrapher writes kabuki actors' names

A calligrapher writes in the traditional "maneki-gaki" writing style kabuki actors' names in Kyoto on Nov. 7, 2025, on signboards to be used to decorate the Minamiza theater in the western Japan city during a year-end kabuki show.

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Preparations for Kabuki performance in Kyoto

KYOTO, Japan, Nov. 26 Kyodo - Preparations are underway for a year-end Kabuki performance in Kyoto, western Japan, on Nov. 26, 2024, with wooden signs with the names of Kabuki actors written in the traditional style of "maneki-gaki" calligraphy, wishing for a full house, on display at Minamiza Theater. (Kyodo)

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Preparations for Kabuki performance in Kyoto

Preparations are underway for a year-end Kabuki performance in Kyoto, western Japan, on Nov. 26, 2024, with wooden signs with the names of Kabuki actors written in the traditional style of "maneki-gaki" calligraphy, wishing for a full house, on display at Minamiza Theater.

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Preparations for Kabuki performance in Kyoto

Preparations are underway for a year-end Kabuki performance in Kyoto, western Japan, on Nov. 26, 2024, with wooden signs with the names of Kabuki actors written in the traditional style of "maneki-gaki" calligraphy, wishing for a full house, on display at Minamiza Theater.

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Preparations for Kabuki performance in Kyoto

Preparations are underway for a year-end Kabuki performance in Kyoto, western Japan, on Nov. 26, 2024, with wooden signs with the names of Kabuki actors written in the traditional style of "maneki-gaki" calligraphy, wishing for a full house, on display at Minamiza Theater.

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Maneki signboard for Kyoto kabuki show

A calligrapher uses a mixture of sake and ink to write the names of Kabuki performers on a wooden signboard in Kyoto on Nov. 8, 2024, for the year-end show at the Minamiza Theater in the traditional style of "maneki-gaki" calligraphy, wishing for a full house.

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Maneki signboard for Kyoto kabuki show

A calligrapher uses a mixture of sake and ink to write the names of Kabuki performers on a wooden signboard in Kyoto on Nov. 8, 2024, for the year-end show at the Minamiza Theater in the traditional style of "maneki-gaki" calligraphy, wishing for a full house.

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Maneki signboard for Kyoto kabuki show

A calligrapher uses a mixture of sake and ink to write the names of Kabuki performers on a wooden signboard in Kyoto on Nov. 8, 2024, for the year-end show at the Minamiza Theater in the traditional style of "maneki-gaki" calligraphy, wishing for a full house.

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Maneki kanban for Kyoto kabuki show

A calligrapher uses a mixture of sake and ink to write the names of kabuki performers on a "maneki" wooden signboard in Kyoto, western Japan, on Nov. 6, 2023, for the year-end show at Minamiza Theater.

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Maneki kanban for Kyoto kabuki show

A calligrapher uses a mixture of sake and ink to write the names of kabuki performers on a "maneki" wooden signboard in Kyoto, western Japan, on Nov. 6, 2023, for the year-end show at Minamiza Theater.

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Japan sends posters to Ukraine calling for fair election

TOKYO, Japan - This poster featuring ''maneki neko (beckoning cat believed to bring luck)'' will be put up at over 30,000 polling stations during the upcoming presidential election in Ukraine. It reads: ''I support a fair election. And you?'' The Japanese Foreign Ministry said on Dec. 22 that it is donating 4.5 million yen to a Ukrainian nongovernmental organization to help finance the campaign.

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Expert writes kabuki actors' names in traditional style

KYOTO, Japan - Masaru Inoue writes kabuki actors' names in the traditional "maneki-gaki" style on Nov. 7, 2014, before their year-end performances in the Minamiza theater in Kyoto, western Japan.

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Expert writes kabuki actors' names in traditional form

KYOTO, Japan - An expert writes the names of kabuki actors appearing in year-end performances in the Minamiza theater in Kyoto, western Japan, in a traditional "maneki-gaki" writing form on Nov. 7, 2014.

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Lesser panda gestures like "beckoning cat"

CHIBA, Japan - A lesser panda gestures like Japanese "maneki neko" beckoning cat ornaments that are believed to bring good luck at Chiba Zoological Park in the city of Chiba on May 24, 2012.

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Lesser panda gestures like "beckoning cat"

CHIBA, Japan - A lesser panda (R) gestures like Japanese "maneki neko" beckoning cat ornaments that are believed to bring good luck at Chiba Zoological Park in the city of Chiba on May 24, 2012.

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Feline station master Tama tourism promoter

WAKAYAMA, Japan - Tama, a feline ''station master'' at Wakayama Electric Railway Co.'s Kishi Station, is held by President Mitsunobu Kojima (L) during a ceremony at the station in Kinokawa, Wakayama Prefecture, on Jan. 5, 2011. Wakayama Gov. Yoshinobu Nisaka (R) designated the cat as a special tourism promoter called ''maneki daimyojin'' (a deity beckoning people).

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Kyoto Kabuki calligrapher busy creating name boards

KYOTO, Japan - Master calligrapher Seiho Kawakatsu, using a traditional thick brush and black ink, writes the names of star Kabuki actors on 1.8-meter-tall wooden boards during the seasonal ''maneki-gaki'' ceremony at Myodenji Temple in Kyoto on Nov. 10, 2009. The name-bearing ''hinoki'' cypress boards will be displayed at the front of the Minamiza theater in the hope for a packed hall during a nearly monthlong year-end performance starting Nov. 30.

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'Beckoning cats' selling like hot cakes as general election nears

OWARIASAHI, Japan - An employee at ceramic ware maker Tamazen in the city of Owariasahi in Aichi smiles alongside some of the company's hot-selling ''maneki neko'' -- decorative figures of beckoning cats believed to invite good fortune -- ahead of voting day in the Aug. 30 House of representatives election. The company is getting a rush of orders from election workers for the figures, decorated with leopard-skin marks, to attract votes, called ''hyo'' in Japanese, the same pronunciation as another Japanese word meaning leopard.

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Maneki kanban for Kyoto kabuki show

A calligrapher uses a mixture of sake and ink to write the names of kabuki performers on a "maneki" wooden signboard, to be displayed at the Minamiza Theater in Kyoto, western Japan, on Nov. 7, 2022.

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Maneki kanban for Kyoto kabuki show

A calligrapher uses a mixture of sake and ink to write the names of kabuki performers on a "maneki" wooden signboard, to be displayed at the Minamiza Theater in Kyoto, western Japan, on Nov. 7, 2022.

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Maneki kanban for Kyoto kabuki show

A calligrapher uses a mixture of sake and ink to write the names of kabuki performers on a "maneki" wooden signboard, to be displayed at the Minamiza Theater in Kyoto, western Japan, on Nov. 7, 2022.

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Japan sends posters to Ukraine calling for fair election

TOKYO, Japan - This poster featuring ''maneki neko (beckoning cat believed to bring luck)'' will be put up at over 30,000 polling stations during the upcoming presidential election in Ukraine. It reads: ''I support a fair election. And you?'' The Japanese Foreign Ministry said on Dec. 22 that it is donating 4.5 million yen to a Ukrainian nongovernmental organization to help finance the campaign. (Kyodo)

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Chirographer writes kakuki actors' names in traditional style

Chirographer Masaru Inoue writes the names of kabuki actors appearing in the year-end performance series at the Minamiza theater in Kyoto in the traditional "maneki-gaki" writing style on Nov. 10, 2015. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Chirographer writes kakuki actors' names in traditional style

Chirographer Masaru Inoue writes the names of kabuki actors appearing in the year-end performance series at the Minamiza theater in Kyoto in the traditional "maneki-gaki" writing style on Nov. 10, 2015. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Hyogo food products promoted at Expo Milano 2015

Maneki Shokuhin, a company in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, gives a presentation about "ekiben" box meals served at Japanese train stations at Expo Milano 2015 in Italy on July 17, 2015. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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'Beckoning cats' selling like hot cakes as general election nears

OWARIASAHI, Japan - An employee at ceramic ware maker Tamazen in the city of Owariasahi in Aichi smiles alongside some of the company's hot-selling ''maneki neko'' -- decorative figures of beckoning cats believed to invite good fortune -- ahead of voting day in the Aug. 30 House of representatives election. The company is getting a rush of orders from election workers for the figures, decorated with leopard-skin marks, to attract votes, called ''hyo'' in Japanese, the same pronunciation as another Japanese word meaning leopard. (Kyodo)

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Feline station master Tama tourism promoter

WAKAYAMA, Japan - Tama, a feline ''station master'' at Wakayama Electric Railway Co.'s Kishi Station, is held by President Mitsunobu Kojima (L) during a ceremony at the station in Kinokawa, Wakayama Prefecture, on Jan. 5, 2010. Wakayama Gov. Yoshinobu Nisaka (R) designated the cat as a special tourism promoter called ''maneki daimyojin'' (a deity beckoning people). (Kyodo)

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Lesser panda gestures like "beckoning cat"

CHIBA, Japan - A lesser panda (R) gestures like Japanese "maneki neko" beckoning cat ornaments that are believed to bring good luck at Chiba Zoological Park in the city of Chiba on May 24, 2012. (Kyodo)

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Lesser panda gestures like "beckoning cat"

CHIBA, Japan - A lesser panda gestures like Japanese "maneki neko" beckoning cat ornaments that are believed to bring good luck at Chiba Zoological Park in the city of Chiba on May 24, 2012. (Kyodo)

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Expert writes kabuki actors' names in traditional form

KYOTO, Japan - An expert writes the names of kabuki actors appearing in year-end performances in the Minamiza theater in Kyoto, western Japan, in a traditional "maneki-gaki" writing form on Nov. 7, 2014. (Kyodo)

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Beckoning cats at temple in Tokyo

"Maneki-neko" beckoning cats are pictured at Gotoku temple in Tokyo on Dec. 15, 2018. The temple is known for its extensive collection of beckoning cats, a good-luck charm believed to bring prosperity to businesses, that people offer in return for wishes that have been granted. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Chirographer writes kabuki actors' names in traditional style

A chirographer writes in the traditional "maneki-gaki" writing style the names of kabuki actors appearing in the year-end performance series to be held at the Minamiza theater in Kyoto from December on Nov. 9, 2018. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Chirographer writes kabuki actors' names in traditional style

A chirographer writes in the traditional "maneki-gaki" writing style the names of kabuki actors appearing in the year-end performance series to be held at the Minamiza theater in Kyoto from December on Nov. 9, 2018. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Bento shop opens in Taipei station

People line up to buy bento boxed meals at a store at Taipei Station in Taipei on Oct. 31, 2017. Maneki Foods Inc., a Japanese company creating special bento boxes to eat on the train, operates the store. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Kyoto Kabuki calligrapher busy creating name boards

KYOTO, Japan - Master calligrapher Seiho Kawakatsu, using a traditional thick brush and black ink, writes the names of star Kabuki actors on 1.8-meter-tall wooden boards during the seasonal ''maneki-gaki'' ceremony at Myodenji Temple in Kyoto on Nov. 10, 2009. The name-bearing ''hinoki'' cypress boards will be displayed at the front of the Minamiza theater in the hope for a packed hall during a nearly monthlong year-end performance starting Nov. 30. (Kyodo)