THE SECRET HISTORY OF
PHOTOGRAPH: DANNY SMYTHE/ALAMY
LONG BEFORE ANYBODY in Japan had the idea to start a cat café, businesses across the land knew to put up feline statues in order to prosper. With right or left forepaw raised, the maneki-neko (‘beckoning cat’) brings in the punters for slices of sashimi, bottles of saké and boxes of electronic goods. The cat has caught on in Chinese restaurants too.