Daruma Dolls colours and meaning
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Daruma Dolls come in many different colours, each with its own story and symbolism. Learn about each of the colours, what they mean, and how they can help attain the goal you or your friends wish for.
Daruma dolls are seen as good luck talismans in Japan. They watch over and protect families, helping them realise their goals. Daruma also come in many colours with many different meanings.
Daruma dolls are distinctively egg-shaped. Their most common colour is bright red with fierce black facial features. Like most things in Japan, there is much meaning and custom entwined with the dolls.
Daruma dolls come in various colours with different meanings for individual situations. You may have seen them in people’s homes, in shops and at temples and wondered, what are they for and what do they do? Let’s delve in!
Colours of Daruma meaning
Red
The red Daruma is the most common colour, as red is a lucky colour in Japan and is said to ward off evil and protect.
Red Daruma dolls are also used for good luck, good fortune and good health.
Buddhist priests also traditionally wore red robes. In Shinotism, the red Tori gates are painted this colour to increase the spiritual connection between humans and gods.
Find the authentic red Daruma doll from famous Daimonya on Amazon.
Gold
The gold Daruma doll is used for any wishes relating to money.
These are especially used for improving financial success and wealth wishes.
Find the gold Daruma doll from the famous Daimonya on Amazon.
Orange
The orange Daruma doll has a few meanings.
Orange Daruma can be used specifically for study and academic success, bringing better concentration.
Or couples who wish for children can get the orange colour which also represents safe childbirth and protection from evil.
It’s also said to be used for self-reform and family prosperity.
Green
Green Daruma represent health, well-being and vigour in the physical sense.
The green Daruma can also be used for improvement in sports.
The green aligns with nature alluding to the sprouting of plants and growth just like a healthy human body.
Get a green Daruma from the famous Daimonya.
Yellow
Yellow is the colour for support in friendships and the honouring of relationships.
Yellow also represents honour, fame, fortune and beauty.
A yellow Daruma is a great gift for a friend to show your support.
Pink
Pink Daruma dolls are especially for love, romance and anything to do with the heart.
Pink Daruma dolls are a great gift for those entering marriage or hoping for a good match. What a wonderful unique wedding gift!
Pink also represents youth, happiness and spring, signifying new beginnings.
White
White Daruma dolls are typically given to students studying hard for entrance exams in Japan which are rigorous and difficult.
It is also synonymous with goal attainment and serves to lighten the path or journey to get there.
White also symbolises purity of purpose (such as the background of the Japanese flag) and is also used for someone studying a martial art to help guide and emphasise the journey.
White also symbolises calm and peace, so it can be a great gift for newlyweds to bring a harmonious household.
White can also be used for childbirth and for a childbirth prayer.
Black
Black is the colour often associated with entrepreneurs to bring business success.
Just as ‘being in the black’ in English means financial security, in Japanese (kuroji) it also means stability in finances.
Black also represents power, strength, prevention and bodyguard.
A black Daruma doll makes a good gift for someone starting a new business.
Blue
Blue Daruma dolls represent success in education but also an increase in intellect and/or skills.
As blue is a calming colour, it can be a good addition to the home or desk of someone studying to bring calm to the learning journey.
Blue is commonly worn in schools or workplaces in Japan to represent their calm and serious intentions.
A blue Daruma can also be used for independence and goals pertaining to employment.
Purple
Purple Daruma dolls are especially for health and longevity.
Purple is a royal colour and is often used with nobility and spirituality. This colour represents qualities of character and integrity.
Purple can also be used for self-improvement and enlightenment. If someone wishes to build up a personality trait, this is the colour.
Purple is also used for individuality display, smooth human relations and mental stability.
in Tokyo in January 2023 (however, I have also included their points in English in the previous text)
Special Daruma dolls
The popularity of Daruma in Japan has led to an explosion of ‘special’ Daruma, such as the rainbow Daruma, sakura Daruma, Year of the Rabbit Daruma, Ukraine Daruma, safe childbirth Daruma and more. These Daruma are available at the Daimonya Factory in Gunma.
Amabie Daruma
The Amabie Daruma is a special and especially ‘kawaii’ (cute) Daruma created by Nakata Chihiro, daughter and apprentice of the legendary Nakata Sumikazu who has more than 40 years of experience in Takasaki, Gunma.
Amabie is a legendary creature in Japanese folklore with the power to prevent disease. Amabie is a mermaid or merman-type creature with a beak and three legs or tail fins. Amabie is believed to have emerged from the sea to provide abundant harvests and ward off epidemics.
Amabie became popular again in Japanese culture in 2020 when used in a campaign to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Here’s more about Amabie.
This Daruma is destined to defend against illness and during the time of COVID, this particular Daruma became incredibly popular.
The story behind the Daruma
The Daruma doll is modelled on the famous Bodhidharma, the monk who created Zen Buddhism. Bodhidharma usually wore red, hence the Daruma’s typical red colour.
The story of Bodhidharma is a little distressing, so be warned! It’s believed Bodhidharma meditated for nine years straight while staring at a wall. He closed his eyes to sleep only once after seven years and was so annoyed with himself he cut off his own eyelids, which fell to the ground but then sprouted green tea plants.
As Bodhidharma didn’t move for nine years, it’s also believed his arms and legs fell off. This is why the Daruma has no arms and legs and eyes are open wide!
How to use a Daruma
Daruma dolls are used to remind the owner of their own dedication and focus for goal attainment. They are not magical charms that grant wishes, instead, they are a reminder for you to bring your own dreams and goals to life.
Step 1
Colour the left eye while concentrating on a goal you wish to attain
Daruma dolls are ‘blind’ meaning their eyes are blank. It is then up to the owner to give the Daruma sight by first colouring in the pupil of the left eye when a goal or wish is decided. This is usually done at the start of a new year.
Step 2
Display your Daruma
The family keep their Daruma close by, either at a family alter in the home, or another prominent place it can be constantly seen as a reminder to not give up! Daimonya suggests it should face south or east.
Step 3
When you achieve your goal, or your wish comes true, colour the right eye
When the goal is attained, the right eye’s pupil can be coloured in. The Daruma has completed its duty.
Step 4
Return your Daruma to the temple, burn it in a ceremony, or keep it as a memento – but never throw it away as waste!
As the Daruma doll is made of paper mache, it can be easily burned. It’s common when the Daruma has completed its duty for it to be burned at the shrine in a Daruma Kuyo ceremony. This way, the Daruma can have its spirits released back to the heavens.
Some people also choose to keep their Daruma as a reminder of their achievements.
Daruma doll facial features
The Daruma doll is enshrined in meaning in every way. The black facial features, although seemingly menacing also have important meaning.
The eyebrows are the shape of a crane, which is believed to have a life of 1,000 years and the turtle on the cheeks, is believed to have a life of 10,000 years.
A fourth-generation Tokyo Daruma doll maker explained he also paints the beard to represent Mount Fuji with a prominent peak at the bottom.
Daruma are typically egg-shaped with a flat bottom, but they can also come in various other designs. When knocked, the Daruma will return to its upright position due to a clay weight in the bottom.
Never give up!
Daruma will not fall over when knocked. They have a clay weight in the base, ensuring they stand upright again. It embodies the phrase ‘Nana Korobi, ya oki’ which means fall down seven times and get up eight times.
Where to buy Daruma
Daruma dolls are usually bought around the start of the new year when goals and wishes are made.
There are Daruma doll markets held at temples all over Japan, but the most famous is probably Shorinzan-ji temple in Takasaki where the whole temple is dedicated to Daruma.
At the temple, you will find Daruma vending machines, Daruma Gonpachon, Daruma ema (Prayer blocks) and even a small Daruma museum.
Where to buy Daruma in Tokyo
Daruma dolls are available in many stores and markets. You can buy Daruma at Mitsukoshi Department Store in Ginza, Tokyo in many colours and sizes.
You can also buy Daruma from the Nakamise-dori in Asakusa on the way to Sensoji-Temple.
There is also a store called Happy Daruma in Adachi, Tokyo. But keep looking wherever you go, as you may stumble across them in temples, stores and even novelty shops.
Where to buy Daruma online
In Japan, Daruma can be purchased online from Daimonya in Gunma directly, and Amazon Japan.
In Australia, Daruma can be purchased from Etsy.
In the United States, you can purchase Daruma from Amazon.
Gift packs with a variety of colours are wonderful keepsakes.
Why do I burn my Daruma?
Daruma dolls are made of paper mache specifically so they can be burned after they have fulfilled their role. By burning a Daruma, the spirits will be released back to the heavens.
Usually, people burn their Daruma at the start of the new year and buy a new Daruma to focus on a new goal or start again by realising an old one.
Of course, burning the Daruma is optional, and you may want to keep it as a reminder of a goal accomplished or in process.
Where can I burn my Daruma?
Daruma can be burned at temples at the start of the year, look for Daruma events at temples for this service. Otherwise, it’s possible to return the Daruma to Daimonya in Takasaki, Gunma where they offer a burning service for a fee.
Where are Daruma dolls made?
Daruma dolls in Japan are believed to have first been introduced in Takasaki, Gunma where a farmer named Tomogoro Yamagata first made Daruma in the off-season.
The tradition soon spread across Japan. Daruma became a great way for farmers to earn an income over the cold winter period.
Most of Japan’s Daruma are made in Takasaki, Gunma. In fact, 80 per cent are created in Takasaki and distributed across the country. The most famous Daruma factory in Gunma is Daimonya. You can purchase these dolls online!
Daimonya Daruma factory in Gunma prefecture
Daimonya has been in business for around 90 years and makes around 70,000 Daruma a year. Nakata Sumikazu at Daimonya is a veteran Daruma craftsman with over 40 years of experience. Sumikazu believes he didn’t master the brush until he was over 50 years old.
Daimonya now offers these authentically handcrafted dolls online in all colours via Amazon.
Sumikazu’s daughter Nakata Chihiro became an apprentice to her father around 2014. Chihiro said her father was very hard on her and it caused her so much stress that she lost her hair. However, she says her perspective changed after realising how much dedication her father has to hand paint every one of the 70,000 Daruma a year.
Chihiro is now bringing her own artistic style to the Daruma tradition with her new creations such as the incredibly cute Amabie. Chihiro said her father enthusiastically encourages her efforts.
Daimonya also offers hand-painting experiences at their workshop and you can read more in my Gunma article where the kids handprinted a doll each.
Tokyo-made Daruma
In Tokyo, there are around five Daruma doll makers that still exist today.
The Murano family in Tachikawa has four generations of Daruma-making experience. I was lucky enough to spend a day with their family learning all about how they made Daruma and even trying to paint the face of one myself!
Painting Daruma
It is possible to learn to paint a Daruma’s facial features at the Daimonya Daruma Factory in Gunma. Read more about that in my Gunma article.
How is a Daruma doll made?
Step 1: Create the shape using a wooden mould
The Daruma maker has a variety of wooden moulds they use for different sizes of Daruma. These moulds are often handed down in the family and are very precious as they signify the original shape of the Daruma, not having changed for many generations.
The mould is then covered in Washi paper. The paper is glued together like paper mache. The Murano family explained they use glue they make from their farming to stick the paper on and reduce waste.
Step 2: Paint the Daruma and dry
After the paper mache has dried. The Daruma is carefully cut in a straight line down the back of its head to remove it from the mould. It will then be glued back together and the clay weight added to the bottom of the Daruma to keep it from toppling.
The Daruma now needs its colour. The Daruma can be sprayed or dipped in paint. Then they are left to dry. This process has already taken many days, as drying the paper mache takes a long time in between coats, so you can start to see how long the process of making Daruma takes.
Step 3: Paint the facial features
The Daruma now needs its meaningful but fierce facial features. The face is painted white, the orange added around the eyes, and then the gold embellishments are added.
Finally, the black facial features are carefully added, ensuring the symbols of the crane and turtle are the stand-out features.
Round up of Daruma dolls colours and meaning
There is a Daruma doll for everyone. It is the perfect gift, even for yourself. Rather than a good luck charm you hope will bring you luck, The Daruma remind you to strive to do your best and achieve your goals. Personally, I love that.
There is also a colour of Daruma for everyone depending on their goal or situation.
- For someone studying for an exam, get a white one.
- Are they opening a new business? Get a black one.
- Are you hoping to fall in love? Get a pink one.
- What about training for a physical event like a triathlon? Get a green one.
- Maybe you hope to pay off some debts and start saving. Get a gold one.
- Do you want to learn a new skill or increase your intellect? Get a blue or purple one.
- Are you hoping for a safe childbirth? Get an orange one.
- If you want to build a relationship, get a yellow one.
- For overall good fortune, treat yourself or a friend to the traditional red Daruma.
Enjoy your Daruma and best wishes for this year!
