Daruma are a kind of roly-poly wishing doll in Japanese Buddhism. You draw one eye in while making a wish, and then fill in the other when your wish comes true. Given their sweet purpose and blob-like shape, traditional daruma are already pretty charming, but a woodcarving shop in Kagawa Prefecture has found a pop makeover makes them even more attractive, so much so that there is a 3-year waiting list to get one!
Yamanaka Zoudou is a woodcarving shop on the long, steep approach to Konpira-san, one of the most famous temples along Shikoku’s Pilgrimage Route. The shop has been in the same family for four generations and has even provided carvings to the imperial family. Now, though, they are best known for their wildly popular Pop Darumas, angular versions of the standard daruma, carved in Kagawa’s unsmoothed sanuki ittobori style and painted in modern colors and patterns.
▼ Traditional daruma
▼ And now some Pop Daruma
Pretty cute, right? And considering that it takes a full day to carve one doll, prices starting around 6,000 yen (about US$50) aren’t bad at all. We apparently aren’t the only ones to think so either, because according to this sign in their shop, on order placed today will be delivered in mid-2018!
When the shop first began selling the angular dolls a few years ago, they were only available in whirls, polka dots and stripes, and those are still some of their most in-demand designs, along with the simple red that allows you to clearly see Mr. Daruma’s grumpy mug. But the shop also started taking custom orders and now the possibilities are truly endless!
Check out a lot more photos in their online catalog, including Daruma Santa, Daruma Cat, and some absolutely brilliant cake toppers.
I don’t know about you guys, but I really want one. Plus, by the time it’s delivered, I’ll have completely forgotten about it, so it’ll be like a surprise present to myself!
Photos and content © RocketNews24
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