World and Lore / Kyoto mystery

The Painted Cat

Kosei-ji Temple is home to a famous ema, or worship plaque, depicting a painted cat. Legend has it that one night, many years ago, the distant music of a shamisen roused it to life, whereupon it took the shape of a beautiful dancing woman. Word of this "courtesan cat" soon spread, drawing crowds of male admirers. Alarmed by the disturbance this was causing for his parish, the head priest of the temple placed a seal on the ema, thereby preventing the courtesan cat from escaping. But some time after that, he was awoken in the night by a warrior claiming to be the spirit of the magic cat. Begging the priest to break the seal he had placed on the ema, the specter vowed to cause no further mischief. Moved by the sincerity of this plea, the head priest agreed to break the seal, and the cat spirit made good on its word never to appear again.