is a famous wood carving

Wood carving

Wood carving is a form of working wood by means of a cutting tool in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object...

 by Hidari Jingorō

Hidari Jingoro

was a possibly fictitious Japanese artist, sculptor and carpenter. Although various studies suggest he was active in the early Edo period , there are controversies about the historical existence of the person. Jingorō is believed to have created many famous deity sculptures located throughout...

 located in the East corridor at Tōshō-gū Shrine

Nikko Tosho-gu

is a Shinto shrine located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the "Shrines and Temples of Nikkō", a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Tōshō-gū is dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. Initially built in 1617, during the Edo period, while Ieyasu's son Hidetada...

 in Nikkō, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

.

「日光東照宮」 translation Nikkō Tōshō-gū Shrine

Nikko Tosho-gu

is a Shinto shrine located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the "Shrines and Temples of Nikkō", a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Tōshō-gū is dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. Initially built in 1617, during the Edo period, while Ieyasu's son Hidetada...

「眠猫」 translation Nemuri-neko

「左甚五郎の作」 translation Hidari Jingorō

Hidari Jingoro

was a possibly fictitious Japanese artist, sculptor and carpenter. Although various studies suggest he was active in the early Edo period , there are controversies about the historical existence of the person. Jingorō is believed to have created many famous deity sculptures located throughout...

The Japanese sleeping cat is modeled after the famous crouching nemurineko carving by Hidari Jingorō. "Hidari" means "left" and "east", and refers to Hidari being "left-handed".
Jingorō is known to have created many famous sculptures at temple

Temple

A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...

s, and shrines throughout Japan.

Based on the writing of Zempei Matsumura's book, Nikkō Tōshō-gū Shrine and Jingorō Hidari published by Nohi Publishing Company in 1975:

Hidari Jingorō loved cats and was fascinated by cats. Jingorō spent eight months in seclusion to refine his knowledge and technique in wood sculpturing. He spent the majority of his time studying, sculpturing, and carving wooden cats that appeared lifelike in various shapes.

According to Matsumura, it was Jingorō's goal to carve and sculpture lifelike cats by making "utmost efforts in the future to create a new style in the field of sculpturing".

Prior to his seclusion, Jingorō was an apprentice for the Chief Architect Hokyo Yoheiji Yusa of the Imperial Court in Kyoto

Imperial Court in Kyoto

thumb|left|350px|Front view of Kyoto imperial palaceImperial Court in Kyoto was the nominal ruling government of Japan from 794 AD until the Meiji Era, in which the court was moved to Tokyo and integrated into the Meiji government....

 where he studied how to build temples, shrines, and sculptures.

Through Jingorō's insight and new technique, animal sculpturing would take a new direction in Japan, a realistic appearance of an animal due to fine detailed sculpturing by the artist. Jingorō's approach in detailed wood sculpturing would later have an effect in other areas of Japanese art, namely, ceramic animals.

This creative attention to detailing sculptured cats can be seen throughout the history of Japan, and more applicably in the ceramic arts. It is the fine detailed realistic life like cats that fascinates cat collectors, and makes these special type of cats highly desirable and collectible.

Matsumura also states, Nemuri Neko "Sleeping Cat symbolizes Nikkō or the Spirit of Ieyasu, who was thought to be the manifestation of Yakusi Nyorai", the Buddha

Buddhahood

In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...

of Healing, who offers medicinal remedies, gives nourishment to the mind, body, and spirit, and comforts the sick and cures illnesses.

The nemuri neko is so highly acclaimed and marvelled in Japan - it is a National Treasure, and inspiration to Japan artists and artists around the world for centuries.

External links

• Information and pictures of Nemuri-neko