Also known as the neko or lucky cat temple in Tokyo, we were ‘cat-atonic’ to visit the Gotokuji Cat Temple 大谿山 豪徳寺 one fine afternoon sunlight when the red autumn leaves were out. This is said to be the birthplace of the good luck charm that is ‘Maneki-neko’ or beckoning cats.
This post may contain affiliate links to tours and hotels. These help us earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.
Located on the outskirts of Tokyo in the Setagaya district (near Gotokuji station and Miyanosaka tram station), hidden away in a very quiet area, this marvellous Maneki-neko / waving cat shrine site is hundreds of years old and attracts dozens of visitors everyday.
From how to get there on the Lucky Cat train (!) to what to expect (like, LOTS of cat statues), here is our guide to Gotokuji Temple.
Japan checklist
We love using booking.com and agoda.com for researching and booking all our hotels, and Hostelworld for booking hostels. You can also purchase eSIMs from Airalo.
For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator or Klook.
For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars.
Check out our Japan travel resources page >
How much does it cost to enter the Gōtokuji Temple / opening hours
It is free to visit Tokyo’s waving cat temple – no tickets are required but please be respectful of those there to worship.
Gōtokuji Temple is open daily from 6am to 5pm. Tthe grounds have gates that are locked outside of these hours.
You might like these Tokyo neighbourhood guides:
Akihabara
Asakusa
Ginza
Harajuku
Ikebukuro
Nakano
Odaiba
Ryogoku
Shibuya
Shimokitazawa
Shinjuku
Also check out our
Where to stay in Tokyo guide
How to get to Gōtokuji Temple
The nearest stations to Tokyo’s waving cat temple are Miyanosaka Station on the Tokyu Setagaya Line (just a 3 minute walk away) or Gotokuji Station on the Odakyu Odawara line.
From Tokyo Station, the journey to Gotokuji Station can take between 45 minutes to just over 1 hour, depending on the time of day.
To find the best way to get their from your hotel, search for 大谿山 豪徳寺 on your chosen map app.
Try this – Gotokuji Cat Temple, Shinjuku Cat Cafe and 3D cat tour or a Gotokuji Cat Temple, Harajuku Cat Café and cat goods store tour
“Kofuku-no-manekineko Densha” / Beckoning Cat Train Tokyo
If your journey will allow it, the best and most in-keeping way to arrive is on the cat beckoning themed tram on the Setagaya Line known as the cat beckoning “Kofuku-no-manekineko Densha”.
The exterior has cat decorations and the Maneki-neko theming continues inside too – the cat train runs from Sangenjaya Station several times a day with varying schedules.
Check out the official Lucky cat train timetable here >
As of November 2025, the fare is 160 Yen for adults or 80 Yen for children – a Setagaya Line day pass can be bought for 340 Yen.
Join our Facebook Japan Travel Tips Group!
Need help with your Japan itinerary or have any questions?
Head on over to our friendly Facebook group with 100,000+ members and ask the experts!
Click here to join our group >
Or if you just want to see more of our Japan photos, follow our Plan My Japan Facebook page >
What to expect
We found our trip to the Tokyo’s cat temple absolute purr-fection; given how unique it is, we also include it on our weird and wonderful guide alongside other fun finds like ninja bars and a gorilla on top of a FamilyMart store.
A beautiful Buddhist temple that is popular with tourists (especially cat lovers), Gotokuji Cat Temple is home to tens of thousands of waving good luck cats in various shapes and sizes, all of which have been left there by worshippers over many years. It really is a surreal but ultimately sublime experience.
There are several courtyards and shrines but all of the cats are focused around the Shofuku-den (Hall of Inviting Fortune) – a small wooden hall.
Beckoning lucky cat statues can be seen in row upon row on display cabinets, with inscriptions and well wishes in languages from all over the world.
Nearby, there is also the more modern three storey pagoda Sanju-no-to which is a popular spot, especially with all the red leaves when we visited in November.
Buying Lucky Cats
You can buy miniature beckoning cat statues and cat prayer plaques (ema) on site at the office (along with getting a souvenir stamp) but it closes mid afternoon – so you may want to bring your own cat statue to leave behind if you are arriving late.
Waving cat statue prices start from 500 Yen for a tiny cat figurine with larger figures costing upwards of 10,000 Yen.
Nearby, there is also the more modern three storey pagoda Sanju-no-to which is a popular spot, especially with all the red leaves when we visited in November.
You might like – Our guide to Tokyo’s Onigiri Shrine (Hikifune Takagi Shrine) >
History and legend of Gōtoku-ji Temple
Gotokuji Temple was commissioned in the late 15th century by Kira Masatada and was initially called Kotoku-in Temple – in the early years, it had nothing whatsoever to do with cats!
It was later renamed Gōtoku-ji in 1659 after being adopted as the Ii clan’s family temple and the main butsu-den building was constructed in 1677 – it is the oldest surviving building on the site.
Legend has it that Gotokuji Cat Temple came about after a temple cat (Tama) beckoned to Lord Ii Naotaka to shelter from the rain as he was passing by – in gratitude, the Lord donated land and wealth to the temple and the cat became a lucky charm.
After Tama the cat’s death, the first beckoning cat / Maneki-neko statue was commissioned as a tribute and the rest as they say is hisssss-tory (sorry, that was a bad attempt at a cat pun).
Our Gōtoku-ji Cat Temple video
Found this Gotokuji Temple article helpful?
Did you enjoy our Gotokuji Temple article? Let us know in the comments or by sharing it on social media.
You can follow us on:
Instagram
Tik Tok
Facebook
Pinterest
YouTube