First appearing during the Edo Period in Japan (1603-1868), the Maneki Cat (Lucky Cat) has become a hugely popular symbol across Asia. A half dozen folk stories explain different origins - from a cat who saves a nobleman from a storm by waving him into a cave - to an impoverished store owner who saves a stray cat and is in turn blessed with business success. Either way, today Maneki cats are a popular symbol of luck and business success.