Tokyo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was presented with a Daruma doll by the chief priest of Shorinzan-Daruma-ji Temple, soon after landing in Tokyo on Friday. The doll, modelled after Bodhidharma – the founder of Zen Buddhism – is deeply tied to Japanese history and tradition.
The doll was presented as a gesture of goodwill between the two nations. The Indian Prime Minister will attend the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit in Tokyo and hold talks with his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba.
According to those aware of Japanese traditions, the Daruma doll is one of the country’s most enduring cultural symbols. Hollow, round, and brightly painted, it represents perseverance, resilience and good fortune. Its unique weighted design ensures it always gets upright when pushed over, reflecting the proverb “Nanakorobi yaoki” that means to fall down seven times, get up eight. The doll has long been associated with goal-setting and the pursuit of dreams.
The doll’s eyes are left blank (white). The owner makes a wish or selects a goal, then fills in the left eye with black ink. The right eye is painted only when the goal is fulfilled, transforming the doll into a living marker of commitment and achievement.
Pilgrims are known to have visited the temple to receive dolls as symbols of good fortune and resilience. By presenting one to Prime Minister Modi, the chief priest has extended not just goodwill but also the spiritual blessing of persistence and success.
The Daruma doll is also closely tied to community rituals in Japan. Families, businesses, and political leaders use them as markers of hope and progress.
The popular symbolism of the Daruma as a good-luck charm is closely associated with the Shorinzan Daruma Temple in Takasaki in the north of Tokyo. The temple’s founder used to draw New Year’s charms depicting Bodhidharma, which parishioners kept bringing happiness, prosperity, and protection from misfortune.
As demand grew, the ninth priest, Togaku, introduced the papier-match figurine form, which evolved into the Daruma doll we see today. Over time, the doll’s meaning spread across Japan and beyond, often linked to perseverance in business, politics, and personal life.
To this day, the tradition remains vibrant. Takasaki proudly celebrates its status as the doll’s birthplace with the annual Daruma Doll Festival (Daruma-ichi), held at Shorinzan. Every year, thousands of visitors gather there to purchase dolls, set intentions for the year, and return old ones in gratitude.
The presentation of such a doll to Prime Minister Modi carries clear symbolic weight. It is both a cultural offering and a blessing, wishing him resilience in leadership and success in strengthening India-Japan relations. In Japanese tradition, giving a Daruma is akin to expressing faith in someone’s determination to achieve their goals.
