Darumas

Daruma dolls are omnipresent in Japanese culture and are often found on shelves or altars of houses, businesses, restaurants and temples, as the charms of good augurs are an integral part of Japanese fashion and lifestyle, such as maneki neko, omamori, omikuji and senbazuru.

Darumas

A daruma doll is a traditional Japanese lucky charm to make a wish or set a goal. It is usually round, made with chewed paper and painted by a skilled craftsman. The eyes are intentionally unpainted so that the owner can use the Daruma as follows:
Have an objective, a wish or a promise to achieve.
Paint an eye with a circular point (either, but the left eye is suggested).
Once the objective or wish becomes reality, paint the other eye. Daruma dolls are constant reminders of what the Japanese call the ganbaru spirit or the ability to persevere, and embody the famous Japanese proverb: Nanakorobi yaoki. “To fall seven times and rise eight.” Despite the fatigue, the long journey to come and the circumstances, the ganbaru spirit is moving forward. Because enlightenment comes to those who stop and appreciate who they were before (the dreamer) and who they are now (the actor). That’s why Daruma dolls have such specific expressions.

History of Darumas

Daruma dolls are based on a wise monk named Bodhidharma who lived in the 5th-6th century. He was known to be very devoted to meditation and austerity, which contributed to increasing his reputation. Like many religious/spiritual figures in history, there is the historical person and his fantasy folklore that grows up every generation. One of these stories tells that Bodhidharma spent 9 years facing the wall of a cave in deep meditation, eyes wide open, never blinking. His perseverance for enlightenment was so committed that his arms, legs and body atrophied and fell to the edge of the road. Yet his mind remained intrepid. With this parable, Bodhidharma has gained popularity in China, Korea, South-East Asia and Japan. He is also known for introducing Zen Buddhism to China, Shaolin Kungfu, Zazen Meditation and Green Tea. In Japan, the first daruma dolls were charms designed to protect children from smallpox and measles at the beginning of the Edo period (early 1600). It was believed that an avenger demon was the cause of the infliction. Fortunately, the smallpox devil was afraid of the red colour; Therefore, red daruma dolls were exposed with the conviction that red absorbs evil. Other theories suggest that the red colour of the daruma dolls represents fire, blood and celebration, as it is a good colour augurs in many Asian cultures. Regardless of the history of the origin of the red colour, the daruma dolls have evolved from protection against smallpox to protection of children through good delivery, good harvest and now good luck.

The colors of Daruma dolls

Traditional Daruma dolls are painted in red. While it is customary to say that colour is less important than the user’s will, darumas manufacturers sometimes give advice on choosing a color in connection with desire.

Red daruma doll
Meaning: Good luck and good fortune.
Recommended for: general wishes.

Golden daruma doll
Meaning: Richness and financial success.
Recommended for: Everything about money.

White daruma doll
Meaning: Purity and peace.
Recommended for: Well-being: mental, spiritual, physical, etc.

Doll daruma violet
Meaning: Self-improvement and illumination.
Recommended for: Build a new personality or trait.

Blue daruma doll
Meaning: Performance and professional success.
Recommended for: new jobs or new businesses.

Pink daruma doll
Meaning: Love and romance.
Recommended for: Everything that touches the heart.

Green daruma doll
Meaning: Health and wellness.
Recommended for: Being in perfect physical condition.

Daruma doll orange
Meaning: Success of studies and learning.
Recommended for: a better mind, better concentration and results.

Yellow daruma doll
Meaning: Protection and support.
Recommended for: Friendship and honour in relations.

Black daruma doll
Meaning: Prevention and bodyguard.
Recommended to: Advise all wrong.

Silver daruma doll
Meaning: Refinement and social status.
Recommended for: Highlight a personal or professional transformation.

Unpainted daruma doll
Meaning: Create your own design and goal.

Recommended for: Release the artist inside. Daruma dolls represent perseverance, so their patterns symbolize longevity. The eyebrows are designed to look like cranes and the beard is designed to look like turtle shells. Although the daruma doll may seem angry, fierce or stoic, it is a face of courage while working towards the goal to be achieved. Both eyes are left empty so that the user fills one eye after making a wish and the other after the goal has been reached. The drawing of the eyes means giving life and soul to the daruma by “opening the eye of the spirit of the daruma doll”.

Daruma Temples

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