There is something about the end of the year that brings out the best in us – that final push to make the best of the time that we have left and begin looking forward to what lies ahead. In many cultures, the end of the year is a time for setting goals and becoming better versions of ourselves. In the United States, we are prone to writing New Year’s resolutions in the form of lists. In Italy, they write buoni propositi, good intentions for their actions in the year to come. Similarly, Japan is no stranger to the idea of goal setting, with one of the more unique methods of doing so being a curious little doll called a daruma.
A daruma is a type of wishing doll, or a physical representation of your goal that reminds you to keep working to make it come true. The dolls are round and typically made of a paper mâché called washi, which is carefully shaped and then painted by skilled artisans.
There are several important elements to traditional daruma design. Traditionally, the dolls are painted a bright red base color, as it is a color believed to ward off evil. Then, the bottom front half of the doll is marked with the kanji for luck or fortune, written in gold paint and surrounded by arching lines. The face of the doll, which is meant to resemble the father of Zen Buddhism, Bodhidharma, is full of hidden symbolism. The eyebrows represent cranes and the beard represents a turtle. This links into a longstanding proverb that cranes live a thousand years and turtles live ten thousand years, thus the design is meant as a wish for longevity. Faces often also feature red nostrils and mouth, orangey blush, and notably blank white eyes encircled in gold.
The eyes of the daruma are particularly important, as they are the means for setting your goal. To do so, you hold the daruma and think about your aspirations. What are they? How will you achieve them? Then you paint a black circle in the daruma’s left eye. Once the first eye is painted, set it somewhere where it will be visible throughout your day, reminding you of your goal. Once your goal is achieved, it is time to fill in the second eye and revel in the results of your hard work.
Daruma are traditionally brought back to the temple that they came from after one year, regardless of goal status. However, returning the daruma before reaching your goal is not seen as giving up so much as it is a promise to keep trying (and purchase another daruma). There they can be returned along with other charms, which are ceremoniously burned. Some temples even have special daruma burning ceremonies called daruma kuyo or dondoyaki, which are typically held shortly after New Year’s Day. While daruma can be found year-round at temples, they are abundantly available in January to welcome in the time for setting new intentions.
What are your goals for 2024? Let us know in the comments below!
About the author:
Nadine Lindskog
Nadine first became interested in Japan and Japanese culture after working with an exchange program at her university. After hearing so many wonderful things from the exchange students she worked with she was longing for a chance to see Japan for herself. That opportunity came to her in the form of the JET program where she spent 5 years on a small island in the beautiful prefecture of Okinawa. While living in this very rural community of just under 1,300 people she was lucky to experience a glimpse into some of Okinawa’s unique traditions and culture. In her free time, she traveled the main island of Japan as well as eastern Asia, seeking out the most delicious foods and exciting experiences. She currently resides in the United States but hopes to return to Japan in the future.
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