The Hattatsu Neko is made from ceramic or wood - it’s handcrafted by artisans and then hand-painted with bright colors. The raised paw represents the beckoning of good luck. Despite their small size, details are carefully rendered to lend charm and character. The cats wear a stylized kamishimo-style formal court attire, a traditional Edo-period outfit. These figures are associated with “Hattatsu Mairi” (First Dragon Day Visit), held on the first tatsu (dragon) day of each month. They are given to worshippers at the shrine “Nankunsha”, which is especially well known for its “Shōfuku Neko” (Lucky Fortune Cats). Each month, worshippers receive a small beckoning cat figurine (“Hattatsu Neko.”) with its left paw raised in odd-numbered months, and one with its right paw raised in even-numbered months.