Unveiling the Dark Past of Japan's Hollow-Eyed Dolls

Daruma dolls are renowned in Japan, with no eyes, limbs, and a sinister appearance.

Unveiling the Dark Past of Japan's Hollow-Eyed Dolls

One of the popular souvenirs tourists often bring back from Japan is the Daruma doll. These are wooden dolls, round in shape, painted red, with large black lips and empty hollow eyes.

In fact, the Daruma doll is not only sold to tourists. It also appears in most Japanese households as this doll symbolizes luck and prosperity.

When Japanese people purchase a Daruma, they make a wish and draw one eye. When the wish comes true, they will draw the other eye, as per Tokyo Weekender.

Despite being a symbol of prosperity and good fortune, the origin of the Daruma doll is somewhat eerie. This doll is derived from the image of Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism in China. This tradition emphasizes the importance of meditation. The Japanese believe that the hands and feet of Bodhidharma withered, became wrinkled, and atrophied after sitting in meditation for 9 years in a cave in China.

During this time, Bodhidharma also cut off his eyelids in anger at falling asleep while meditating. His eyelids fell to the ground and sprouted into the first green tea plant in China. The Japanese relied on this legend to create round, limbless wooden dolls.

According to local lore, the fact that Daruma has no eyes mirrors Bodhidharma's action of falling asleep while meditating, thus not achieving the highest enlightenment. Drawing eyes on it is akin to reattaching Bodhidharma's eyelids, enabling him to see the truth clearly.

When people's wishes have not yet come true, they will only draw one eye on Daruma. At this time, the doll will be in a half-asleep, half-dreaming state and cannot attain enlightenment. This act of drawing one eye is jokingly called 'paying the toll', forcing the dolls to help realize the wish of the drawer. Only then will they draw the remaining eye.

The color of the doll is also inspired by pain and death. The doll comes in various colors, from purple to white, depending on the production area, but red is the most common. This red color is associated with the color of measles and chickenpox.

Many centuries ago, when measles and chickenpox were the two most devastating diseases in Japan, children with these diseases often had to wear red coats. If they died, they would be wrapped in red cloth.

Originally, these dolls were crafted with exceptional balance. No matter how forcefully pushed, the Daruma dolls always return to their initial position. Over time, this attribute has rendered them as symbols of resilience. Consequently, Daruma dolls are often presented as gifts to patients, particularly children.

According to Anh Minh/Vnexpress

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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour