Daruma doll facts for kids
A Daruma doll is a special, hollow, and round traditional Japanese doll. It is designed to look like Bodhidharma, who is known as the founder of the Zen branch of Buddhism.
These dolls are a type of toy called omocha in Japan. They are also known as "tumbler dolls" or "roly-poly toys." This means that if you push them over, they will always stand back up! Daruma dolls are very popular in Japan today, and people from all backgrounds know about them.
Most Daruma dolls are made from papier-mâché, which is like hardened paper. They have a weight at the bottom to help them stand upright. Usually, these dolls are painted red. When you buy a Daruma doll, its eyes are blank and white. Many Daruma dolls are made in Takasaki City, located in the center of Japan. Every year in early January, a special fair is held there just to sell these dolls. Daruma dolls are often seen as symbols of good luck and success.
Contents
What Do Daruma Dolls Look Like?
Why Are Daruma Dolls Red?
It's not completely clear why Daruma dolls are traditionally red. However, many people believe the color comes from the robes worn by high-ranking Buddhist priests. Since Bodhidharma was a very important figure in Zen Buddhism, he likely wore red robes.
The color red also became important for Daruma dolls because of an old belief about sickness. During the late Edo period (1603-1868) in Japan, red was thought to be connected to smallpox. People believed that if they pleased the God of Smallpox, their sick child might get better. So, they would use red items around the house. They might hang red paper strips or have the sick child wear red clothes. They would also place small Daruma dolls on altars. The red color of the Daruma was meant to make the God happy. The doll's ability to always stand up (okiagari) also encouraged patients to recover quickly.
Today, Daruma dolls come in many colors, not just red. You can find them in blue, yellow, white, and black. There are even gold Daruma dolls, which are believed to bring good luck with money!
The Eyes of a Daruma Doll
When you buy a Daruma doll, its eyes are usually left blank. There's a special tradition for filling them in! First, you make a goal or a wish. Then, you use a brush to paint in the doll's left eye. This is like making a promise to the doll.
Once your goal or wish comes true, you paint in the right eye. This completes the doll's sight. This tradition might be linked to the idea of "enlightenment" in Buddhism, which means reaching a state of deep understanding. In Japanese, there's a phrase "Both Eyes Open" that means a goal has been achieved. Traditionally, the head of a household would be the one to paint the eyes.
For example, Japanese politicians often use Daruma dolls during elections. They might have large Daruma dolls at their offices. When they win an election, they paint in the second eye. This shows that their goal has been reached.
Daruma's Facial Hair
The facial hair on a Daruma doll has a special meaning. It represents two animals known for living a very long time in Asian culture: the crane and the tortoise. The doll's eyebrows are shaped like a crane. The hair on its cheeks looks like the shell of a tortoise.
This design connects to a Japanese saying: "The crane lives 1,000 years, the tortoise 10,000 years." So, the Daruma doll is designed to wish for a long and prosperous life.
Daruma Burning Ceremony
At the end of each year, many people bring their old Daruma dolls back to the temple where they bought them. There, a special ceremony called daruma kuyō takes place. This ceremony usually happens right after New Year's Day.
Two famous places for this event are the Nishi-Arai Daishi Temple in Tokyo and the Dairyū-ji Temple in Gifu. People bring their used Daruma dolls to thank them for the good luck they brought that year. Then, they give the old dolls to the temple and buy new ones for the coming year.
All the old Daruma dolls are gathered and burned together in a large bonfire. Monks perform a solemn ceremony, reading prayers and blowing horns. It's a powerful sight to see tens of thousands of these dolls set aflame.
Images for kids
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A traditional Daruma doll
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Bodhidharma, from a woodblock print by Yoshitoshi, 1887
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A wooden mold for a papier-mâché Maneki-neko and Okiagari-Koboshi Daruma figure from the Edo Period, 18th century. Brooklyn Museum.
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A Daruma doll with one eye filled in, showing a wish in progress
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Daruma Otoshi, a traditional Japanese stacking game
See also
In Spanish: Daruma para niños
