Daruma’s face is carefully painted with bold strokes by brush for beard and eyebrows. The multi-layered design of the Daruma holds many meanings. Eyebrows are in the form of a crane and a mustache are made to look like a tortoise, both represent longevity.

The Red is the dominant color in most designs, because it’s believed that Bodhidharma wore red robes and because red is a very auspicious color in most Asian cultures signifying energy and good health.

The artisan draws a good fortune message in calligraphic characters on the sides and the belly of the Daruma. So, he is the epitome of Good Luck Symbols and that is maybe why he sold so well to the Edo townspeople.

"だるま DARUMA"  is a hollow, round, Japanese traditional amulet, tumbler doll modeled after 'Bodhidharma', the founder of Zen sect of Buddhism. Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who lived during 5th/6th century AD.

Legend claims that he sat facing a wall in meditation for a period of nine years without moving, which caused his legs to fall off from atrophy. Therefore Daruma doll doesn't have legs.

Nowadays "Daruma" is regarded more as a bringer of good luck. Daruma doll is weighted on the bottom, so it always recovers upright position whenever it is swinging. As such, It is a symbol of revival and "never giving up" to reaching the objective, as it always stands up positively.

Initially, the doll has eyes without pupils. Oversized symmetrical round blank white eyes mean to keep track of goals or big tasks and motivate them to work of the finish. The owner of the doll fills in the left eye of the Daruma, upon setting the goal and makes a wish. And at later stage, add the right eye when and if the wish comes true. 

少林山 達磨寺 "Shorinzan Darumaji Temple" is the origin of "Takasaki Daruma" doll. The temple is constructed in 1697 and daruma dolls which completed its task for the past year are brought and piled up in the temple. The annual festival is held on 6 and 7 January, attracts more than 400,000 visitors for getting new daruma dolls.