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The Daruma Festival at Jindaiji Temple marks the beginning of spring and is named after the monk and founder of Zen Buddhism, Bodhidharma (Daruma in Japanese). Traditionally, people buy a new doll at the beginning of each year after burning their old doll from the previous year.
“Daruma dolls are very precious to the Japanese, but they are not considered gods,” says Chihiro Nakata, a fifth-generation Daruma doll maker. “Instead, they are a symbol of perseverance and new beginnings.”
Good fortune and longevity
Japan has 47 prefectures, each with its own unique style of doll production. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, Takasaki City in Gunma Prefecture produces over 80% of the country's Daruma dolls, approximately 900,000 per year. A famous Daruma doll shop called Daimonya also produces over 7,000 dolls annually.
To create the hollow dolls, artisans at Daimoniya dip a metal mold into liquid papier-mâché. The figurines are allowed to dry before being buried in sand and coated with white paint. The base is weighed down with clay so the doll can stand. Finally, the artisan dips the doll in red paint before its face is further decorated.
Daruma dolls are often decorated with images of two animals associated with good luck and longevity in Japan: the crane and the turtle. A distinctive feature of Daruma dolls is their large, round, piercing eyes, staring straight ahead, representing determination and unwavering resolve. Daruma dolls have no pupils; this is so that when the owner sets a goal, they can add a pupil to one eye with a brush. By the end of the year, if the goal is achieved, the pupil is completed. Daruma dolls are usually placed on a kamidana – a small altar facing south, commonly found in many Japanese homes.
“Daruma’s right eye must face the rising sun,” Nakata explained. “That symbolizes that at sunset, your wish will be granted.”
A tradition of development
People in Takasaki Prefecture began producing and selling these dolls about 200 years ago. They were believed to protect children from smallpox and also promote good harvests.
The earliest versions of Daruma dolls were quite human-like in appearance. Daruma dolls were modeled after the meditating posture of Bodhidharma and were all armless and legless, based on the ancient legend that Bodhidharma's limbs atrophied after nine years of meditation in a cave. The traditional red color, preserved over the years, symbolized protection against smallpox and disease, although in reality, most modern Japanese people have forgotten this.
According to Hirose Seishi, a priest at Shorinzan Darumaji Shrine in Takasaki, Daruma dolls that bring good luck to their owners must be burned immediately after the New Year.
“When we burn the Daruma dolls, they turn to ashes and return to the earth where they started,” Seishi told CNN. “Changing the Daruma doll each year is related to new goals in your life.”
Daruma dolls are gradually changing over time. Now you can find modern designs such as sporty styles, polka dots, and bright colors, not just red. Good luck is represented in various shades of color, such as pink (symbolizing love), green (representing good health), etc. The new colors and designs cater to the changing tastes of today's market, Nakata said.
Ngoc Anh (According to CNNTravel)
