Cat lovers and those interested in pottery alike might particularily enjoy the town of Tokoname, located in the Aichi Prefecture just a short distance from ever popular Nagoya. Tokoname is well known for many things, but it is especially known for its ceramic maneki nekos. Maneki nekos are a "beckoning cat" statue that represents welcoming good fortune and/or luck in, and are often decorated in places of business. Tokoname is known for its pottery and other ceramic goods, so it's no surprise that the maneki neko figurines produced here are made from ceramic. In fact, Tokoname is one of the leading producers of ceramic maneki-neko statues. 

One of the best places to truly get a feel for the town's love of maneki-neko is by going to the affectionately named Tokoname "Maneki-Neko Street" itself. There you'll be treated to all sorts of maneki neko statues decorating the street. The street begins around the Tokoname Station and goes until Tokoname City Ceramic Hall. Visitors can enjoy looking at 39 different ceramic cats that are placed into a concrete wall. Each ceramic cat is a different and unique rendition of the maneki-neko, and do not necessarily look like the traditional version. These cats were created by different artists and craftsmen, and all have their own special meanings behind them. You can pick up a pamphlet that has each of the ceramics individual meanings on it at Tokoname Station. 

In addition to the maneki-neko street, Tokoname also has a large maneki neko figurine head that is named Tokonyan by the townspeople. Nyan is the sound that a cat makes in Japanese, much like meow is to English, hence the name Tokonyan for the famous landmark of Tokoname. You can even see lifelike figurine cats looking up at Tokonyan too!

In addition to all of the maneki-neko ceramics, there is also a town mascot called Tokotan, that is a maneki-neko character, and 8 real cats across the nation that are officially named Tokotan, certificates and all. This was done as an effort to make the town of Tokoname more publicly known and promote their official mascot.

If you're a lover of cats, or even just an appreciater of ceramics, this is definitely a neat little spot to check out!