Silence before the will is awakened. The features of Daruma are carved with a spirit of unyielding perseverance.
A small, round figure in bright red, with a dignified expression.
Daruma is one of the most familiar good-luck charms in Japan.
Yet despite being so deeply rooted in everyday life, few people can clearly explain its origins, meanings, and customs.
Why it is left with one eye.
What its color signifies.
And the practice of returning it once its role is complete.
These are not separate customs.
They form a way of giving shape to one’s wishes and goals—of carrying them forward, sustaining them, and eventually bringing them to an end.
In this article, we trace the history, meanings, and practices of daruma, and explore how Japanese folk beliefs have taken root within everyday life.
The Beginning of Daruma — A Good-Luck Figure Born from Zen
Most Japanese people have seen a daruma at least once.
However, few realize that its name comes from Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen.
While it is widely recognized as a red, round good-luck figure,
the meaning it carries cannot be reduced to simple ideas like “perseverance” or “resilience.”
Bodhidharma — The Monk Who Devoted Himself to Zazen
Bodhidharma is said to have traveled from India to China in the early 6th century and is regarded as the founder of Zen.
Though he stands at the intersection of history and legend, he is best known as a monk who devoted himself to zazen meditation.
In Zen, greater importance has been placed on practice than on the words of scriptures—on cultivating the mind and arriving at truth through discipline.
Zazen, the act of sitting in stillness in pursuit of a state of emptiness, lies at its core.
How Bodhidharma Became a Good-Luck Figure
Over time, the name of Bodhidharma—and the way he lived, wholly devoted to meditation—entered everyday life.
What people saw in him was not simply the image of a monk in practice, but something that resonated with their own lives: the will to continue, and the ability to begin again.
Even when things do not go well, one does not give up.
Even after stumbling, one rises and tries again.
The way of Bodhidharma came to be understood as something that reflects the human condition itself.
In this way, he transformed from a symbol of Zen into “daruma”—
a figure that accompanies people in their daily lives and supports their wishes and aspirations.
The Meaning Embedded in Daruma
The form, color, and customs of daruma each carry meaning.
Its rounded shape, its red color, and the practice of painting in one eye—
these are not merely decorative elements or traditions.
They serve as supports that allow people to give shape to their wishes and hold onto them.
The Shape of Daruma — Falling Seven Times, Rising Eight
Daruma is made in a rounded form that rises again when knocked over.
Its movement—never fully falling, always returning to its original position—
embodies the idea of standing up again, no matter how many times one falls.
Within this form lies the spirit of perseverance.
The red that wards off misfortune and protects life. This crimson hue has long been a symbol of prayer in Japan.
The Meaning of Red
When people think of daruma, many first imagine its red color.
This red is often said to derive from the crimson robes worn by Bodhidharma.
At the same time, red has long been regarded as a protective color—one that wards off misfortune and illness.
In times when disease and disaster were ever-present, people incorporated red into their daily lives as a form of protection.
During the Edo period (17th–19th centuries CE), when smallpox spread repeatedly, it was common to hang images emphasizing the color red (hoso-e) in homes as a form of protection.
The red of daruma is not merely decorative.
It gives visible form to the wish to protect one’s life and well-being.
The Eyes of Daruma — Giving Shape to a Wish
Daruma begins without its eyes painted in.
When a wish or goal is set, one eye—traditionally the left—is filled in.
The other is added upon its fulfillment or at a significant milestone.
When both eyes are complete, it signifies the realization of that wish.
A daruma with one eye serves as a reminder not to forget it.
Each time it comes into view, one returns to that original intention.
Returning the Daruma — A Sense of Closure
Daruma is returned to a temple or shrine once a wish has been fulfilled or at the end of a year.
There, it is ritually handled and often burned in a ceremonial fire.
This act is not simply disposal.
It marks a clear conclusion to a single wish.
More than whether the wish was fulfilled, importance is placed on bringing it to a proper close.
Because there is an ending, one can settle the mind and move forward.
Living with One’s Wishes
Daruma does not grant wishes.
It is something kept close at hand—something that supports them.
There are times when wishes remain unfulfilled, when a daruma stays with only one eye.
There are days when things do not go as hoped.
And yet, simply having it within sight can create a moment—
a moment in which one decides to begin again.
Swaying, yet always present. Its steady gaze quietly watches over you.
Daruma—the symbol of “fall seven times, rise eight.”
Its presence serves as a quiet support, helping one face forward even amid the uncertainties of daily life.
