Neko - Cats In Japan | Suki Desu

Do you know how to say cat in Japanese? Have you heard of the term Neko? Have you ever wondered why the Japanese love cats so much? In this guide, we will answer these and other questions.

What Does Neko Mean?

The answer after starting to read this article is quite obvious; it literally means cat. It doesn’t matter if it’s a male or female cat; there are no differences in the Japanese language; they are called neko.

Neko gives meaning to several other Japanese cultural words; let’s list some below, each word has a special article discussing the subject:

• Nekomimi
• Neko Café
• Manekineko – Lucky Cat
• Nekojima – Cat Islands

How Do You Say Cat in Japanese?

Neko is not the only way to say cat in Japanese; there are some synonyms and variations that you can add to your vocabulary:

• Kuroneko [黒猫] – Black Cat;
• Aibyou [愛猫] – Pet Cat;
• Nekoma [猫] – Cat (archaic);
• Kato [カト] – From the English Cat;
• Karaneko [唐猫] – Cat from China;
• Kaineko [飼い猫] – Pet Cat;
• Noraneko [野良猫] – Stray Cat; Fierce Cat;
• Nekogirai [猫嫌い] – Hates Cats; Cat Hater;
• Toraneko [トラ猫] – Tabby Cat; Tiger Cat; Striped Cat;
• Bakeneko [化け猫] – Magical Cat; Monster Cat;
• Mikeneko [三毛猫] – Japanese Bobtail (three colors);
• Sunaneko [砂猫] – Sand Cat;
• Manekineko [招き猫] – Japanese Cat Ornament;
• Nekokan [猫缶] – Canned Cat Food;

Related Words:

• Yowamushi [弱虫] – Coward; Scared Cat;
• NyaaNyaa [にゃーにゃー] – Onomatopoeia for meowing;
• Nekojita [猫舌] – Cat Tongue (doesn’t like hot food and drinks);

Why Do the Japanese Love Cats?

While in Brazil dogs dominate Brazilian homes, in Japan, cats rule. If you are familiar with Japanese culture, you must have noticed the passion and obsession of the Japanese for cats.

Just browse through the Instagram of some Japanese people and find various profiles full of cat photos. In this article, we will understand a bit about the passion and influence of cats in Japan.

The Japanese love cats because they are cute, clean, and easy to keep as pets. Having a pet can be laborious in Japan since many people do not have time or live in apartments.

For most Japanese, having a dog is out of the question. A cat, on the other hand, can be much cheaper and easier. Unlike dogs, cats clean themselves, roam the neighborhood alone, don’t mind being alone all day, and don’t bother their owner for attention while they are at home.

Of course, many other historical and cultural factors are involved in the Japanese passion for cats. Even the kawaii culture highlights cats more than other animals.

To understand more about cats in Japan, we need to know their history in the Japanese archipelago. Another reason is the fact that cats are associated with luck in Japan. For Buddhists and Shintoists, cats are represented as sacred and cursed creatures.

The History of Cats in Japan

Records show that cats in Japan were imported from China and were initially seen as a luxury animal, only for the rich and noble. Cats were extremely rare in the past; they were not used to hunt rats but rather as a sign of good luck.

Some developed the idea that having a cat in their store or business would bring good fortune or luck, thus creating the famous maneki-neko symbol. It is not just today; since the mid-1800s, cats have existed in Japanese works and artworks.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), Hiroshige Utagawa and Kuniyoshi Utagawa painted cats, and during the Meiji period (1868-1912), the great novelist Soseki Natsume wrote a novel titled “I Am a Cat“, which became a famous masterpiece of Japanese literature.

The importance of the cat in Japan was also related to rats. We all know that Japan grows a lot of rice; cats were necessary to protect the rice from rats.

There are several shrines that worship cats as gods in Japan; they currently also exert a lot of influence on Japanese culture. Places that show traces of the relationship between cats and people are spread throughout Japan.

The Influence of Cats in Japan

Cats gained even more fame in Japan due to the influence of Japanese media. In addition to various works from the past, the emergence of Hello Kitty was one of the major boosts for the Japanese passion for cats. In Jinbocho/Tokyo, there is even a library/bookstore specializing in cat-related books called Nyankodo.

Another great example of the Japanese passion for cats are the neko-cafés spread throughout Japan that allow people to play with cats while enjoying a coffee.

The cat holds great importance even in anime, whether as a character or as a reference in cosplayers with cat ears. Not to mention the numerous islands full of cats scattered throughout Japan, where there are more cats than residents.

On the internet, as early as the 90s, cats became famous in magazines, blogs, emails, and albums on the internet. They became main characters in memes and had a significant presence in YouTube videos and posts on 4chan.

Even today, cats continue to be culturally influential and relevant on the internet; there are dozens of pages on social networks and videos on media sharing sites like youtube and nico nico douga.

Japanese Bobtail – miIke

The Japanese Bobtail or mi-ke [三毛] is a breed of cat originating from Japan. Its name represents its unique characteristic, which consists of three [三] different colors in its fur [毛].

The miike is one of the few famous cat breeds from Japan. One of its characteristics is its short, curled tail that resembles a stubby dog. It can also be born with eyes of different colors.

The cat is perfect for keeping at home due to its intelligence, temperament, and ability to learn things. It is calm, loyal, friendly, curious, affectionate, and sociable, easily adapting to changes.

The Most Famous Cats in Japan

In the midst of this history, some cats stood out due to their fame on the internet or in a particular location in Japan. Let’s list below these cats that influenced or represented Japan in some way:

• Nyan Cat – How did this viral come about?
• Mi-ke – The lucky cat
• Maru-chan – One of the most famous cats in the world.
• Nekopan – Used as an avatar in forums;
• Longcat – One of the oldest memes related to cats on the internet;

I hope you enjoyed this short article! Do you like cats? Do you think something is missing regarding cats in Japan? We appreciate your comments and shares.

Videos of Cats from Japan

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