Bizarre footage of a temple in Japan that is home to a collection of one thousand "lucky cat" figures.

The video, filmed at the Gotoku-ji Temple, Tokyo in early 2016 shows the tourist attaction where you can see the lucky cat figures stacked up in rows.

Gotoku-ji Temple, Tokyo. This temple has become a sight-seeing spot for travelers from all over the world thanks to its collection of 1000 cat figures.

It is said that the first “Lucky Cat” (maneki-neko) came from Gotokuji. Though there are many stories of how the first “Lucky Cat” came to be, according to Asahi Shinbun, it was made to honor a white cat named Tama, who once lived in the temple. Upon his death, the original figure of a white cat beckoning with its paw was made, and since then its popularity has only grown.

Mr. Kazuo Hiroshima, a volunteer guide at the temple, further illuminates the story for us. “In 1633, Lord Naotaka Ii was resting under a tree near the temple when Tama appeared at the entrance and beckoned him inside. Not long after Naotaka went in, the weather suddenly turned bad, and the tree he was resting under was hit and destroyed by lightning. Naotaka was extremely grateful to both Tama and the temple and appointed Gotokuji the official temple of the Ii family. Thanks to the good fortune Tama brought, the temple grew and survives to this day.”

豪德寺，座落于东京 世田谷区。这间寺庙收藏了超过1000座招财猫，如此特别的景色吸引了国内外众多观光客远道而来。

豪德寺因被称作「招福猫（招财猫）的发源地」而闻名。关于其由来有众多不同的说法。据朝日新闻报导，过往这间寺庙饲养了一只叫做Tama的白猫，在这只猫死后，寺方为了纪念它而制作了一只单手举起的猫雕像。雕像相当受到欢迎吸引了不少人气，也因此被称作招福猫。

关于这只猫Tama，导游志愿者原岛先生说，「1633年，当时的彦根藩主-井伊直孝（Naotaka li）猎鹰归途中，在寺庙附近的树下休息。因看到Tama的手招呼而被引导到寺庙中，在他步入寺庙后天气骤变，刚刚井伊休息的那棵树遭到落雷攻击燃烧了起来。为了表达感谢，直孝将豪德寺作为井伊家的菩提寺（家族专属的官方寺庙）而厚待。也因着Tama可以招福（财），才让这间寺庙可以屹立多年而仍旧是如此气派」。

在拍摄过程中也有许多人到此拜访，其中有因为许的愿望成真而带着招财猫前来供奉的男性。招财猫的数目多到寺方对于放置场所感到很苦恼，但同时也为这间寺庙带来许多的好处。

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Produced by 28Lab Inc. & E.x.N K.K.
English (Caption & Subtitles) Checked by Devin Recchio