Commonly associated with the new year, Daruma dolls are a type of wishing doll considered an ornament but also a symbol of good fortune and the ultimate lucky charm. With its austere, rounded form, intense expression, and distinctive eyebrows, the Daruma doll was originally modeled after the 5th-century founder of Zen Buddhism, Bodhidharma.
Japanese leather bagmaker Tsuchiya Kaban has created a hand-crafted leather bag whose sole purpose is to carry a Daruma doll.
In Japan, new Daruma dolls are often acquired during the new year, at which point the owner fills in the left eye while making a wish for what they want to achieve or aim for in life. This kicks off a journey of perseverance and only when the wish or aim is achieved, does the owner fill in the other eye.
Leather bag artisan Koichi Hiraishi, inspired by the act of carrying and giving a Daruma doll to a loved one, decided to create the ultimate good-luck carrying bag. Specifically designed for a Daruma doll, the bag is hand-stitched together so that the face of the Daruma is visible, while the body remains snug and protected.
The knot on the handle is inspired by shimenawa, a type of sacred rope found at Shinto shrines, and incorporates a leather cord folded in three and tied carefully to ensure there are no irregularities. The bag also includes a flap that holds a hamayumi, a lucky bow said to ward off evil spirits.
The Daruma bag is the result of an initiative by Tsuchiya Kaban called “the fun of carrying,” in which individual artisans are given complete creative rein to work on whatever they like. The initiative was originally launched back in 2020 and has resulted in amazing creations such as the Watermelon bag and Snowman bag.
Daruma dolls are the embodiment of the Japanese proverb, 七転び八起き (Nanakorobi, yaoki) meaning “fall down seven times, get up eight times.” And the number 8 is considered a lucky number for this reason, as well as the shape of the kanji “八” which looks like it’s spreading wide toward the future. We tell you all this because the Daruma bag is priced it the incredibly lucky 88,888 yen.
