JAPAN – The very quiet and cool, nature-filled grounds of Japanese temples and shrines are the purr-fect place for kittens to relax and sleep away the days.
Some of these sacred sites are actually dedicated to celebrating the feline, with adorable statues and memorials making them known as “Cat Temples” throughout the country.
In Fukui Prefecture, Gotanjo Temple is just that kind of place that pays homage to the furry animal, with its monks feeding and caring for a population of cats on the grounds, who are known to enjoy lounging around the omikuji (fortune) stand.
▼ It’s such a hotspot for felines, there’s even a sign that asks visitors to reach around the sleeping cat to grab their fortune.
▼ Each omikuji fortune-telling strips inside come complete with a “maneki neko” (beckoning cat) charm.
Instead of finding a sleeping kitty atop the famed omikuji fortune box, Twitter user @ana_not_kutu, who actually visited the temple personally, found a real kitten butt-side-up inside it, appearing to be fishing around in search of a fortune of its own.
▼ The beckoning cat charms are so adorable that kitties want to get their paws on them too!
The power of the beckoning cats proved too great for this curious feline, consequently, who ended up lying inside the box itself. For any unsuspecting worshippers, that certainly would be one heck of an unusual cat charm!
For those who might be worried about the cat’s situation and its grave-looking future inside the box, it seems that this particular day was a “medium-luck” to “big-luck” day, as it had no problems getting itself out of the enclosure, and stuck to lounging around on top of the wooden structure a short time later.
Since it was shared online, the photos have received literally thousands of likes and retweets on Twitter, where fellow users have been posting comments like: “This is way too cute!” And,
“I want to go to this cat paradise!” Another one reads: “What fantastic beckoning cats!” Yet another: “If I put in 200 yen, does that mean I get to take the cat home?” And, “That’s the most unusual omikuji I’ve ever seen!”
Given that cats have a never-ending love affair with all kinds of boxes, there is little doubt that the four-legged residents of the temple will be staying away from the omikuji area anytime soon. Let’s just hope next time they resist the urge to dive in!
