Even if you haven’t heard of Daruma dolls before, you’ve probably seen them in a movie or an anime, and you can find them practically anywhere in Japan. The daruma is a traditional Japanese charm that brings good fortune. They are typically red, spherical dolls with one black eye and the other left white.
What are daruma dolls? Why is this doll missing arms and legs? Where did they originate, and why are they so popular in Japan? How to use the daruma to make your wish come true? This article is going to address a lot of questions. So, read on to learn more about these lucky charms.
What is a Daruma Doll?
Daruma dolls have been popular in Japanese culture since the 17th century. The doll’s first version was created by local farmers in the city of Takasaki, in Gunma prefecture, to serve as amulets for monks. They had faith that the dolls would help them get a good crop, and they used to sell them during hard times to make extra money. Eventually, people all over the country started using the daruma as a good luck charm.
The popularity of daruma dolls continues to this day. People often buy them at the beginning of the Japanese new year in the hopes that they will help them attain their objectives. You may find them at Japanese restaurants, storefront displays, and private residences. In addition, daruma dolls are frequently given as gifts to those who are starting a new business or conducting a new project to wish them success in achieving their goals. They’re also a popular choice for visitors to Japan as a souvenir.
History of the Daruma Doll
The daruma is named after Bodhidharma, a Buddhist monk who lived between the 5th and 6th centuries. He is thought to be the founder of Zen Buddhism and Zazen, a type of sitting meditation. According to legend, Bodhidharma meditated for nine years, staring at a blank wall without blinking or moving. He closed his eyes just once after seven years, and he was so angry with himself for failing to persevere that he cut off his eyelids to make sure he could never sleep again. As the eyelids hit the ground, green tea plants grew from them. For this reason, green tea is a popular choice among Buddhist monks.
Consequently, after nine years of immobility, his arms and legs began to deteriorate and eventually fell off. However, Bodhidharma’s spirit persisted, and his devotion was symbolized by dolls with glazed eyes and limbless bodies, reflecting the position and features of the legendary figure.
Features of Daruma Dolls and Their Meaning
Wide Blank Eyes
This doll’s most notable feature is its two wide-open eyes, which lack eyelids and pupils. This design is inspired by the tale of Bodhidharma, who chopped off his eyelids. Both eyes are left blank for the doll’s owner to paint one eye after setting a goal and the other after achieving it.
Thick Facial Hair
The daruma’s facial hair is painted to look like Bodhidharma’s beard and eyebrows, but it also has a deeper meaning. The eyebrows are shaped to resemble cranes, while the beard is styled to look like a turtle. These two animals are a symbol of longevity in Japanese culture. According to a Japanese saying, “The crane lives 1,000 years, the turtle lives 10,000.”
Spherical Body, without Arms or Legs
The daruma has no arms or legs to show that Bodhidharma sacrificed his limbs to enlighten himself via self-mutilation, but it also has an additional significance. The original doll’s rounded body was crafted to always swing back to its initial vertical position. No matter how many times you push it, it will return to its upright position.
The daruma’s body is a perfect example of the Japanese saying “Nanakorobi Yaoki” which means “Fall seven times, get up eight times.” Hence, the doll serves as a reminder to never give up on one’s goals, no matter how many times one gets knocked down.
Kanji Writing
Sometimes the Kanji characters for “luck,” “fortune,” “perseverance,” or other similar terms are written on the doll’s belly or sides. On the other hand, some people prefer to write down their wishes or goals on their dolls, either as a reminder to themselves or to “formally” inform gods of what they want to achieve.
Daruma’s Color
Although daruma dolls are now available in many different colors, the traditional dolls were all red. Historians have attempted to comprehend the reason behind this color for ages, yet it is still a mystery.
One explanation relates to Bodhidharma, who may have worn red robes because of his Buddhist heritage. Other ideas focus on the mystical abilities of the red color and its connection to gods. According to a darker theory, the red color may have evolved during the horrific era of smallpox outbreaks across the country. As a result of the belief that red was the color of the “God of Smallpox,” people began to wear red clothes and accessories to gain god’s favor and avoid catching the disease.
Today, there are many color variations of the daruma, each fulfilling a particular goal or wish. The following is a list of some colors and what they are believed to represent. However, it is essential to know that people have conflicting perspectives on this topic, so this list is not a fact.
- Red: general wishes for good fortune
- Black: protection against bad luck
- White: purity and harmony
- Gold: wealth and success
- Green: health and well-being
- Blue: education and career success
- Purple: self-improvement and personal growth
- Pink: relationships and love
How to Use a Daruma Doll?
The daruma doll is a powerful tool for setting and achieving goals. This Japanese talisman combines magic and psychology to grant wishes by serving as a material representation of what someone wants to accomplish. According to the daruma legend, you won’t get lucky just by buying a doll. There are a few simple steps you have to follow.
- Set a goal or make a wish you would like to realize. It should be something doable within a year or less.
- As mentioned before, when you buy a doll, you will notice its eyes are missing. After assigning a specific wish to your daruma, you paint one of its two eyes (no matter whether it’s right or left).
- You would then place the doll in a prominent spot in your home or workplace as a daily reminder to work towards your goal.
- Stay focused on your goals, and when your wish comes true or a year has passed, give your daruma its second eye.
- To get the most out of a daruma doll’s power, you should return it to the temple where you bought it to be burned. Whether or not you got what you wished for, you should burn the doll after a year to release the god.
In several Japanese temples, there is a ritual known as Darumakuyō (だるま供養) or Dondoyaki (どんど焼き), in which thousands of people gather to get their dolls blessed and burned together. This process is not meant to make people feel like they have to give up on their goals. On the contrary, it is envisioned as a renewal of one’s pledge and a commitment to buy a new daruma for the coming year.
How is Daruma Crafted?
Almost all daruma dolls are made in the city of Takasaki, in Gunma Prefecture. The town produces over 80% of all daruma in Japan, with around 50 families making over 1 million dolls annually.
The traditional daruma is made with a type of paper mache called washi paper, and it has a hollow interior to make burning it easier. In the past, a hand-crafted wooden mold was wrapped with washi paper, then sculpted, chopped, and painted to form the final figure. Today, a pre-made wooden mold is immersed in liquid paper mache, and a pump is used to get the air out of the mold. This technique ensures that all produced daruma have identical shapes. However, because each daruma is uniquely hand-painted, no two dolls will ever have the same design.
Daruma in Modern Culture
The history of daruma dates back to the 17th century with local farmers in Takasaki who used to make their daruma dolls to bring fortune to their silk harvest. During the Edo Period (1603-1868), the god’s figure changed dramatically. Over time, sarcastic artisans crafted the daruma into phallic designs. They also reshaped the doll as a prostitute, known as “Lady Daruma” or “Princess Daruma.”
In current times, daruma has become a popular souvenir and an adorable gift. It is typically purchased to help fulfill one’s wishes. The doll has become so important in Japanese culture over the years that it is often seen in a variety of places and situations. For example, politicians often bring their dolls to interviews, speeches, and other events, especially during election season. Using the daruma as a symbol, a politician may demonstrate his devotion to the country and people and his willingness to battle for them.
Daruma Festivals
There are several daruma fairs across Japan. Those festivals feature a bonfire ceremony, special prayers, food booths, and shopping for various good luck amulets. Parades of colorfully dressed temple monks performing traditional songs and painting hand-drawn eyes are also part of the festivities. The most famous festivals are:
- Jindaiji Temple Daruma Fair in Chofu, Tokyo
- Shorinzan Daruma Festival in Takasaki, Gunma
- Bishamonten Festival in Fuji, Shizuoka
Daruma in Popular Culture
Daruma Otoshi
This is a classic Japanese toy that consists of a stack of colored wooden blocks topped with a daruma head. Using a small wooden hammer, you carefully knock the blocks off the pile one by one, leaving only the head. Although it requires accuracy and precision, this game is still enjoyable for children of all ages.
Daruma in Japanese Characters
The Pokemon Darmanitan is based on the Japanese daruma doll. It is a fire-type Pokemon with body details inspired by the traditional daruma. Darmanitan is also the evolved form of Pokemon Darumaka, which has short limbs and looks like a happy daruma doll.
Daruma-inspired designs gave life to lots of images and characters. A daruma makeover has been applied to popular Japanese characters such as Hello Kitty, Doraemon, Super Mario, and others to give them a cute look.
As the Gods Will (2014)
This Japanese horror movie is based on a popular playground game called Daruma-san ga Koronda. It’s about the story of a bored high school student who gets forced to play a game with his classmates where the loser dies. On the scary-looking movie poster, a daruma is sitting under a classroom blackboard and looking at the students.
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