猫児の図（三自翁弘明　画） / 国立国会図書館　所蔵

Cats

The cat, or ie-neko in Japanese, is a domesticated species of Felis genus of the Felidae family. They are widely spread throughout Japan.

The cat, or ie-neko in Japanese, is domesticated species of Felis genus in the Felidae family. They are called Nihon-neko (Japanese cat) in Japan, and live all over the country. It is believed that the ie-neko is a descendent of the African wildcat which inhabited western Asia. Although there are many opinions regarding the process of domestication of this species, they had already appeared in wall-paintings in Egypt around 3000 BCE.

The origin of cats in Japan is still unknown. According to the book, Guzasso, from the Edo era, in the mid-6th century, cats were imported from China to protect Buddhist scriptures from rats. In 2008, traces of cat bones from the Yayoi era were discovered in the Karakami ruins of Ikinoshima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture, which pointed out the possibility of their origins going back further in history.

The practice of breeding cats can be traced back to the Heian era through an old document called Kanpyo Gyoki, (Imperial Diary of the Kanpyo Period) which was written by Emperor Uda (the 59th emperor of Japan). Cats also appeared in Makura no Soshi (The Pillow Book) and also in Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji).

In the 14th century, the scrolls of Tsurezuregusa (The Essays of Idleness) featured the story of Nekomata, an old domestic cat that transforms into a supernatural cat. Images of these ghostly cats were added to many paintings and books, and the concept gained popularity during the late Edo era as a new genre category of Neko sodo mono (cat trouble tales) in two very famous Japanese plays, Ningyo Joruri (Japanese puppet theater) and Kabuki.

Related People, Things and Events

A cat with supernatural powers called Nekomata appears in the Hyakkiyako (“Hundred Demon Night Parade”).
Genji Monogatari (“The Tale of Genji”) depicts affection for a cat who is a reminder of a woman.
Makura no Soshi (“The Pillow Book”) describes cats kept by Emperor Ichijo.
Some nishiki-e prints feature cat motifs.
Butterflies, of which there are many species in the world, have a captivating beauty that has given rise to many beliefs and folktales and has made them the subject of many decorated objects and works of art

Books

列聖全集編纂会編,列聖全集編纂会
平安初期の宇多天皇の日記には、中国から先帝にネコが献上されたことが記されている。これが、猫に関する最古の記録といわれている。
清少納言 [著],[出版者不明]
一条天皇が飼い猫に冠（こうぶり）を許すほどに溺愛したというエピソードで知られる枕草子の一節。冠を与えるのは、従五位に叙する意味で、それほど溺愛したということ。
広重
歌川広重の「名所江戸百景」のうちの一枚。猫がたたずむ窓辺の格子越しに、富士山と浅草の「酉の市」の様子が描かれている。
水谷不倒生校訂,博文館
文耕堂，千前軒，三好松洛ら合作の人形浄瑠璃。元文5年（1740）4月に大坂竹本座で初演された。今川家のお家騒動にからめて怪猫のたたりを描いた「猫騒動物」のはしりといえる作品。
夏目漱石著,岩波書店
夏目漱石により明治38年(1905)に発表された長編小説。オス猫が主人公。

Related Works

歌川国芳筆,By Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861),東京国立博物館,Tokyo National Museum
猫好きで知られる江戸後期の浮世絵師・歌川国芳による団扇絵。着物の柄に猫の好物であるあわび、ウナギ、蛸が描かれ、タイトルは鰹節で囲まれるなど、ユーモアあふれる作品。
伝卞相壁筆,By Byeon Sangbyeok (born 1730),小倉コレクション保存会寄贈,Gift of the Ogura Foundation,東京国立博物館,Tokyo National Museum
朝鮮後期の画家・卞相壁（べんそうへき）が描いた猫図。卞相壁は猫を描く名手として知られ、細かな体毛まで緻密に表現されている。
板元田所町小川半助正
歌舞伎で有名な猫騒動物。文政10年（1827）6月、江戸河原崎座初演。4世鶴屋南北の作品。
国芳, 伊場屋　仙三郎
歌川国芳が、歌川広重の「東海道五十三次」のパロディとして様々な猫の姿を描いたもの。
国芳,三伊場屋　仙三郎
歌川国芳の作。「かつを」という文字の輪郭に、猫をジグソーパズルのように当てはめて描いた「はめ絵」と呼ばれる作品。
宮本直吉氏寄贈,Gift of Mr. Miyamoto Naokichi,東京国立博物館,Tokyo National Museum
山猫のような面貌の土偶。縄文時代中期（前3000～前2000年）のものとみられる。