Imado Shrine - Manekineko Lucky-in-Love Cats

Imado Shrine is one of the main places for Japan's manekineko lucky cats. Here they come in pairs and bring you good luck in love. Although the shrine itself is small, it is home to a huge number of manekineko statues and fortune goods.

Buy one of the round ema 絵馬 tablets and write your love wish. There is no limit to what you can wish for. It could be "Please let me find a good partner" or "Please let me get married on next New Year's Day." If you are already happy and in love there is a version of the ema with the cats wearing traditional Japanese clothing. It is the love mission accomplished tablet and used to express your thanks.

You can also buy one of the special omikuji, the small paper is like your love horoscope. The two characters on the pink paper above the pair of lucky cats stand for love 恋 and winning 勝. I think that is a great way to express love and good fortune.

These two stone manekineko are of course there to bring you more luck. The shrine recommends to touch the cats when you make your wish. And then take a picture, make it your screensaver or wallpaper, and repeat your wish every day when you see the cats looking at you from your phone. All that wishful positive thinking should help.

This sign at the entrance to the shrine points out that the address of Imado Shrine can be read to mean "good couple". And for additional good fortune the map shows the location of all seven Japanese lucky gods in Asakusa.

This is a fun quirky local spot to visit. Maybe it will work for you.

Imado Shrine is a small place in Tokyo's old Asakusa area about 10-15 minutes walk from Asakusa station and the big Senso-ji Temple.

Address: 1-5-22 Imado, Taito-ku, Tokyo (東京都台東区今戸1-5-22)

You can walk here through Sumida Park from Asakusa along Sumida River.

For more lucky manekineko cats, visit Gotokuji on the opposite side of Tokyo in Setagaya-ku. http://www.deepjapan.org/a/3450