The Yanaka Ginza is a shopping street full of retro Showa era charm. The area is not far from Ueno and is never short of visitors. But did you know that there are “Shichifuku neko (Seven lucky cats)” living in this neighborhood? Only the well-informed seem to be familiar with these mysterious cats. Let us go check out these lucky cats that are adored by the locals.
The seven cats were created by Geidai students
A five-minute walk from Nippori Station brings you to Yanaka Ginza. It’s a shopping street brimming with nostalgic shitamachi (old-town) charm. The street is about 170 meters long, flanked by some 70 shops. There are plenty of street food, skewered, grilled kushiyaki and deep-fried snacks to sample along the way. The voices of shop-owners hawking their ware, snippets of conversations from passers-by, seem to bring back memories of the good old days. Yanaka Ginza is reminiscent of the Tokyo long gone. And cats make up an essential component of Yanaka Ginza.
“Senchan” is the official feline mascot of Yanaka Ginza.Cats pop up on signboards along the shopping street. In fact, they are everywhere!
Try taking a leisurely stroll down Yanaka Ginza. Don’t be surprised if you keep on bumping into cats every which way you turn. There are cats featured on signboards and banners; there are cats on bags and cat-themed sweets. Cats are here there and everywhere. However, not many people know about the seven wood-carved cats, known as the “Shichifuku neko (Seven lucky cats)” that are living in this “kitty heaven”. It all began when the former chairman of the Yanaka Ginza shopping street promotion association came up with the idea of “creating a symbol for Yanaka Ginza, just like those found European towns”. Tokyo University of the Arts (Geidai) supported the idea and students created the cats in 2009. Ever since, the cats have been enjoying life in Yanaka Ginza for over a decade.
Masayuki Fukushima XXXX, current chairman of the Yanaka Ginza shopping street promotion association, operates “Fukushima Shoten”, an establishment with a long history that specializes in shellfish.
Shichifuku neko serves as the perfect icebreaker
There is a cat perched on the roof of a liquor store. There’s another under the eaves of a retro-style coffee shop, taking in the aroma. There are cats standing guard in front of a long-standing Japanese tea shop. The seven lucky cats come in all shapes and sizes and live in different homes. Some have “had accidents” bumping into people, what with the big bustling crowds drawn to the shopping street. But that’s all right. There is no question that the cats are adored by all Yanaka locals and visitors alike. They are the “low-key symbol” of Yanaka Ginza.
Two hefty-sized Shichifuku neko cats strike the “beckoning cat” pose.Two cats love high places. This one can be found perched atop the roof of tempura restaurant “Hatsuneya”.Two cats greet visitors at the entrance of “Kanekichien” that specializes in choice tea leaves and pottery.Here is another cat on the roof of the liquor store “Echigoya Honten”.Look at this cat trying to climb onto the garden stand in front of the café “Manmando”.
“There used to be a lot of cats around here. Cats would come out around sundown and spend time sunbathing on the steps called ‘Yuyake dandan (Sunset steps)’. That’s the image that inspired the art students to create the Shichifuku lucky cats. The student who created our cat at the store has already graduated, but still comes by to give our cat regular checkups. Sometimes customers will ask, ‘Where can I find the other cats?’. It seems like there are fewer strays in the neighborhood, but we hope people will continue to come visit our cats and the shopping street, too “. (Masayuki Fukushima, chairman, Yanaka Ginza shopping street promotion association)
Ueno culture is not only about the arts; close social ties and the nostalgic streetscape also play major roles in creating the cultural fabric. Yanaka Ginza is a special place where you can find everything.
Text: Takahiro Okuda Photos: Fumitaka Miyoshi
Yanaka Ginza
Access: 5-minute walk from “Nippori Station” on JR Yamanote Line, Joban Line, Keihin-Tohoku Line; Nippori-Toneri Liner; Keisei Line 5-minute walk from Sendagi Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line https://www.yanakaginza.com/
*The article is based on information provided as of March, 2020
