Hello, everyone around the world! It is the How Unique Japan blog again. This time, I would like to talk about a famous and traditional Japanese doll that is loved by the Japanese still now.
That is like a red egg with a face on it. Please see the picture below.
It is Daruma!
Why was Daruma born?
So, it is called Da ru ma. We Japanese usually use it as a lucky charm or Japanese Talisman.
Its origin is quite old. The time when it was born was around 1660. (Nearly 400 years ago!!).
There was a Japanese (and Buddhist) monk who created paper talismans for his neighbors and locals because Smallpox was widespread around Japan at that time. So, he drew the Daruma picture on them to protect his people from bad luck with the talismans.
By the way, why doesn’t it have any arms and legs??
Then, we need to dig deeper into the history. The design of Daruma was from the true existing monk. (His name is the same.)
Who was the guy, Daruma?
He was born between 380 and 430 AC in India. So, the correct time is unclear. But, he was famous as an influencer of Zen meditation in India and China.
While he was teaching Zen meditation in China, he also tried to find the truth of the world and himself with it.
What was the method for that meditation? He just sat down on a big rock next to a cliff. Then, he stared at the cliff (wall) and asked/considered everything. The period was so long. In the legend story, he had been doing it for almost nine years!! It sounds unbelievable!
After he was satisfied, a sad incident occurred. His arms and legs no longer worked, because he didn’t move for a long time. (The other legend said the arms and legs decayed off.) That is why the doll doesn’t have a limb.
It is sad.
However, he was a great Zen founder for India, and Chinese people due to such a brave story. After a while, such a legend became a good lesson. It is “Be strong!!” or “Have good behavior!”. So, as Buddhism influenced our country, that legend/lesson also came in.
That is the original story of the Daruma doll.
Nowadays, the Daruma design and size have become varied. Some of them have cute faces (animals) on them replacing the original ones.
One more feature of the Daruma
Can you see the differences between those pictures?
It is obvious. That is pupils. Why?
As already said, the doll has various meanings (charm/talisman). Additionally, the Japanese usually use it in celebration ceremonies, for example, if somebody reaches success (establishing a new company, passing the election or important exams, etc.), they will write the pupil on the doll. It is like “We did it!”.
That is why some Daruma dolls don’t have pupils.
To close
The improvement of the Daruma is still ongoing. Some of the collaborations with Anime characters are popular now, and artists also absorb the design into their work.
If you visit Japan, take a look around. The doll might be hidden anywhere in Japan.
Thank you very much for reading this article! Do you want more uniqueness in Japan? Please come to see the front page of my blog!