DARUMA MUSEUM (02) ... DARUMA ARCHIVES

Daruma Museum (02) ENTER

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Here are the latest additions to
. . . The Daruma Museum !

Please go to the
DARUMA MUSEUM MAIN INDEX
to find a keyword.

NEWSLETTER -
All the latest articles !

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SEARCH all my articles

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Who is Daruma ?

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Who is Daruma ? What is Daruma?

"For centuries Zen masters have said that
Daruma is Zen.
Perhaps it would now be appropriate to say that Daruma is Japan.

In neither case is the definition fully explicable or applicable. Each is essentially a KOAN whose solution is acessible only to experience, not to rational analysis.
This is to assert finally that Daruma is one key to an authentic and rewarding experience of Japan and the Japanese people."

These are the final words of Prof. McFarland in his classic about Daruma in Popular Japanese Culture.

Koan and Haiku 公案と俳句

My very first laquer Daruma

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The Japanese Daruma Association
Zen Nihon Daruma Kenkyuukai 全日本だるま研究会
They publish a yearly magazine DARUMA NEWS with a lot of interesting subjects about Daruma art and monthly newsletters full of funny and serious details.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Daruma News 18 : SHIKOKU special

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The Zen teachings of Daruma Daishi entered Japan during the Kamakura period, where he is revered as the First Patriarch of the Zen Sect.

Daruma Practising Zazen
for Nine Years in Front of a Wall
(menpeki kunen 面壁九年)

There are many renderings of Daruma figures, but what they want to express on the inside is always the same. It is the spirit of Daruma Daishi (about 5th Cent.), the eighth generation Great Master after Shakyamuni Buddha, founder of the Zen sect. Legend says that Daruma was born the third prince in a South Indian kingdom. He was of a sharp mind already as a child and followed the Great Master Prajnaatara, where he studied Buddhism intensly and carried on his tradition. He then took off to China to preach Buddhism, taking the sea road to South China. He was invited by Emperor Wu and expounded his wisdom for him. But the emperor did not understand the preachings of Daruma, so Daruma took off again, crossing the Yangtse River to the east and ended up in the Shaolin Temple near Loyang. He stood on some reeds when crossing the river, which leads to the famous iconographic rendering of
"Rush-leaf Daruma" (royoo Daruma 芦葉達磨).

Rush-Leaf Daruma (royoo) Daruma on a reed

Suusan 嵩山 was one of the five great centers of religious learning in China, so Daruma sat down in a cave at the foot of the mountain to practise Zazen Meditation for nine years. Later the folks of Edo imagined this long period of meditation, where his beard grew long, his legs withered away and his hands shriveled of no-use, rendering into the tumbler doll as we see him now.
The Zen teachings of Daruma Daishi entered Japan during the Kamakura period, where he is revered as the First Patriarch of the Zen Sect.

During the middle of the Edo period the famous Zen priest and painter Hakuin (白隠禅師 1685 - 1768) painted many simple impressive pictures to teach the townspeople of Edo who could not read.

Hakuin Ekaku ... 白隠慧鶴 Hakuin Zenji

Menpeki Kunen, Wallgazing for nine years
Daruma and Meditation

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Daruma as a Drinking Companion (shukoshi 酒胡子) -
Daruma as the "Old man who never falls down"
(futoo-oo 不倒翁)
and the self-righting Tumbler Doll
(okiagari koboshi 起き上がり小法師)

The origin of papermachee dolls (hariko 張子) comes from China. During the Tang period (616 - 906) Chinese culture reached a pinacle. During that time there was the custom of using a wooden doll with a pointed base, which was like a spinning top. When the doll fell, it pointed to a person who had then to drink the next cup of ricewine or do a short performance. (Remember, the cups were really quite tiny.) Times passed and we reach the Meiji Period of Japan (1868 - 1912).

The Chinese Drinking Companion had changed to a Japanese papermachee doll and was now called "Old man who never falls down". This old man seemed to get healthier with the years and was the symbol of long life. Japanese travellers to China brought the Chinese dolls back as souvenirs, since they were light and easy to carry. Falling down and tumbling up again, this was so much fun that it soon turned into a toy for little children - the Tumbler Doll was born. It seemed to fit the parent's wish for children to grow up healthy and was a hit on the market. Going through many changes during time, the old man turned into Daruma as we know the doll today.

. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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From the Tumbler Doll (okiagari koboshi)
to the Tumbler Daruma
(okiagari Daruma 起き上がりだるま)

After the Period of the Warring States Japan reached a time of 300 years of peace under the Tokugawa regime. The Tumbler Dolls of papermachee、first made in Kyoto, soon reached the new capital of Edo. The inventive townspeople of Edo painted a big black beard on the face of the old man and a visiting priest came to say: "Well, if this is not the face of Daruma Daishi himself!"
The red robe was the traditional garb of a priest. Getting up after falling down was taken as a wish getting better for an ill person. It was also said that the stark red colour would ward off smallpox, so the red tumbler doll of Daruma would be the best present for a sick child.

This one blessing was soon followed by others and developed into "Falling down seven times, getting up eight times" (nanakorobi yaoki 七転八起), turning into a blessing for many generations of the family line, good business and others. Thus Daruma got a firm place in the heart of the Japanese people and seemd to work for the good of people with six heads and six arms. The faith in him grew steadily and soon the dolls were sold at the New Years fairs at many local temples and the tradition to paint one eye for a wish started. You had to buy a new one every year, so the tradition expanded and we have to thank the founder of the Zen Sect for all of this.

Nanakorobi yaoki 七転び八起き
seven times down, eight times up

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Why is the Tumbler Doll Daruma always of
RED color?

Red was the color of the robe of a high-ranking priest and since Daruma Daishi was the founder of the Zen Sect, he must have worn a red robe. The patterns painted in gold on the doll represent the Buddhist stole that a priest wore.

During the Edo Period, Daruma came to be seen by the townspeople as the healer of smallpox. Nowadays we have medicine to cure this illness, but in former times children suffered a lot from this and other diseases. It was believed that RED would ward off diseases, so the Red Daruma Doll with a threatening face became the preventor and healer of sickness. Modern medicine has found out that the color red really helps prevent smallpox!

But the Tumbler Doll Daruma is not always red. In Yamanashi Prefecture we have a white Daruma as a talisman for the silk industry and the healthy upbringing of children.

Akai ... 赤いRed Hoosoo 疱瘡　
.Smallpox, Red and Daruma

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Why are the eyes of a Daruma for Good Luck
(engi Daruma 縁起だるま) always white?

In the beginning, Daruma dolls always had eyes painted. But in the Kanto area around Tokyo, Daruma Dolls with white eyes were sold during the New Years markets. The person who bought it or the priest at the temple had to paint one eye and cast a wish and after the year was over and the wish had come true, the other eye was painted and the doll then burned in a consecrating bonfire at the temple at Years End. You then got a new one for the New Year and the circle begun again.

But why did the Daruma dolls not have eyes?
When the priest Daruma sat in a cave for nine years meditating, he had to fight sleepiness. He thought: "Because I have eyes, my eyelids fall over them and I start snoozing." So in a bold act he cut off his eyelids to keep awake. (The eyelashes, which he had thrown away, took root and turned into the tea bush to give us this wonderful wakening beverage, as legend knows!)
Another explanation seems more realistic. If you paint eyes on a Daruma Doll it gets some facial expression and if you are not a good painter, it might look akward or evil. So to sell your piece, it is a lot easier not to paint the pupils and leave the blame of facial expression with the customer when he paints the eyes himself.

The next step then was to cast a wish while painting an eye, then burn it after service time was over and buy a new one - who says they did not have good business ideas in Old Edo?! Daruma Dolls were very popular and the habit of getting a new one every year has stayed with us, as we can see at the many Daruma Markets during the New Years Season.
He is a real steady Long-Seller!

Me-ire - Painting Eyes for Daruma　達磨の目入れ
Daruma and his EYES

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Does the Beard and the Eyebrows of Daruma
have a Meaning?

The face of Daruma

http://ameblo.jp/darukyo/theme-10016537875.html

The face of a Daruma for Good Luck is usually painted with bold strokes for beard and eyebrows. The most traditional of this kind, the Takasaki Daruma (we will talk about him in a separate story) has eyebrows in the form of a crane and a beard in the form of a tortoise, both symbols for long life (see story about TSURUKAME).

Another explanation says the beard is like a pine tree, around the eyes we have bamboo and the nostrils represent the plum, altogether the tree auspicious symbols for long life (shoochikubai, shochikibai 松竹梅). On the sides and the belly of the doll, other spells for good luck, good business and a long family line are painted, so he is the epitome of Good Luck Symbols and that is maybe why he sold so well to the Edo townspeople.

The eyebrows and the beard are painted carefully with the brush and some even used real hair to create a beautiful male face (see story about HIGE DARUMA).

Tsurukame

. Daruma and his beard ひげだるま / ひげ達磨　

. "Three friends of Winter", Pine, Bamboo and Plum 　

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Daruma - Does he have Arms and Legs or Not?

A normal tumbler doll of Daruma does not have any arms or legs. This shows the influence of the real Daruma Daishi sitting in long years of meditation where his legs shriveled and he cut off his arms since they distracted him, as legend tells. This little fellow with arms and legs hidden under his robe had to get up soon after he fell down and so captured the fancy of the Edo townspeople; he encouraged them and gave them hope for the future. But we have other dolls of Daruma with hands or legs from Shizuoka, Nagano or Okayama, which we will explore in a different story.

. TE 手.. The Hands of Daruma

. Jimotsu ... 持物　... what is Daruma holding? 　

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When and Why did Princess Daruma
(Hime Daruma 姫だるま) come to Life?

Daruma Dolls took as model the Indian Priest Daruma Daishi, who was obviously male. But in some areas of Japan we find a sweetlooking female Daruma Doll, the Princess Daruma. The most representative of these comes from Takeda in Kumamoto Prefecture.

Here is her story:
Once upon a time more than 300 years ago, there was the young girl Aya, wed into a Samurai family and thrown out of the house by her unfriendly mother in law on an icecold winter night. She had to stay in a shed braving cold and hunger for two days and was rescued by her husband just in time. The mother in law heard the story and came to see Aya, tears in her eyes and remorse for her harsh behaviour and from that day on the family lived happily together.
The diligence of Aya became the model for a tumbler doll in the fashion of Daruma, since he is the model for diligence too, meditating nine years in a cave.

We also have the story of a curtesan who commented about Daruam "Well, he was sitting in quiet meditation for nine years, but we here have to sit and suffer in the Noisy Pleasure Quarters for more than ten years!"
The painter Hanabusa Itchoo made a picture of the curtesan, which became the model of the Princess Daruma Dolls.

The Princess Daruma dolls where also bought as talismans when a baby girl was born to pray for her healthy upbringing.

Hime　Daruma 姫だるま Princess Daruma

Oiran to Daruma 花魁と達磨　
Daruma and the Courtesans (geisha)

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Since when was Daruma used during an Election?

Before an election, you can see pictures of the cantidates with a huge Daruma, painting in one eye while wishing to win the election. On the belly of Daruma there are the characters: Certain Victory" (hisshoo 必勝). It seems the cantidates need this lucky charm to go through the election times, it gives us the feeling: Now its election time! But when was this custom started?

The earliest elections were in 1928 for the House of Representatives. A papermachee maker of Takasaki made a Daruma called the "God to Win the Election" and went around selling it. We do not know about the outcome of the election, but we know that during the election of 1930 the representative of Nagano City, Mr. Matsumoto, painted an eye on the face of a big Daruma with the characters "God of Good Luck" and put it up in his campain center, as was shown in a newspaper article of February 6th in Asahi Shinbun. And of course, he won the election! This success story made its way around Japan in no time and the custom was born.
We can only bow to the wonderous power of Daruma to bring good luck to people.

Hisshoo Daruma 必勝ダルマ
to win an election
(Hissho Daruma, Certain Victory)

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quote
Features of a Daruma doll

One of the most popular talismans of good luck in modern Japan is the armless, legless, and eyeless Daruma doll, or tumbling doll. It is made of paper mache, weighted on the bottom so it always stand up, even when pushed- symbolic of Bodhidharma's persistence in meditation.
This has the meaning of standing up positively even if failing, and has the meaning of reaching the objective.
Moreover, the design such as "pine bamboo plum" (sho-chiku-bai), cranes, and turtles assumed that the history is good from old times is given to the pattern of the face.

History of the Daruma doll
In about the 5th century, DARUMA - Father of Zen Buddhism - obtained realization at the end when he sat for nine years toward the wall, and the teaching was succeeded from generation to generation by apprentices, spread to China, and to Japan.
In 1697, Daruma-ji temple was founded by Priest Shinetsu here in Takasaki.
He drew the image of the DARUMA in zen meditation and it is distributed at the New Year of every year, and it is assumed that it is the start of the Takasaki Daruma doll.

Toward the end of the 18th century, Yamagata Goro carved the initial Daruma doll getting a hint from the type by Priest Togaku, and he put Japanese paper on it afterwards.

During the Meiji era when the sericultural industry of silk became active, a Daruma doll was requested to pray that the farmers were able to harvest a lot of silk threads. Afterwards, at the present age, the tumbling doll became necessary and indispensable as a guardian that people pray to for their business prosperity.

There is the Daruma-ji temple at the Mt. Shorinzan in Takasaki City, and a Daruma fair is held on the 6th and January 7 every year.
It is crowded with the people who buy the Daruma doll from the Japanese whole country.
©　www.daruma.jp/about.

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WHAT
seems a nice way to put it.

Daruma is really quite a phenomenon here in Japan.

I always tell our visitors that he is
the most famous foreigner in Japan!

To get a glimpse at the scope, check out this long list of items I have been writing about in the culutral context of Japan:

Daruma Museum Japan
http://darumasan.blogspot.com/

If you have finished reading all of the above, you might have
a glimpse of the
Daruma Phenomenon in Japan.

. Haiku and Daruma

Daruma san (Darumasan, Bodhidharuma, Bodhidharma, Daruma Daishi, Dharuma, Dharma) 　だるま　達磨　ダルマ　ぼだいだるま　菩提達磨　だるまさん
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GOOGLE for more answers
WHO is Daruma ?

GOOGLE for more answers
WHAT is Daruma ?

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..... Books about Daruma だるまの本、大百科など

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My special Daruma reading the sutra

Zen and Daruma
have always been very close to me since my first steps in Japanese Archery (弓道) in 1977 in Kamakura. My first purchase was a huge seated Daruma statue (see top of this story), which had to spend a long time on our television set, since the house was so small. Now he got his promised space in our large farmhouse compound,
the Paradise Hermitage (GokuRakuAn 極楽庵)
in Okayama Prefecture, where we moved in 1995 and now have a real Daruma Museum.

Towards the end of 2001 I was lucky to encounter Mr. Kyobashi and his fantastic homepage (which unfortunately closed down in 2009), so I started to write some stories about Daruma myself. I intend to continue this with his valuable help and I want to take this opportunity to thank him very very much for his support.

Gabi Greve, January 2010

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. DARUMA - Father of Zen Buddhism . 　
by my friend, Mark Schumacher

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Nengajo of all years

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New Year Postcards.. Nenga 年賀状　Nengajoo　

. 2012 - Year of the Dragon .

. 2011 - Year of the Rabbit / Hare .

2010 - Year of the Tiger - THIS PAGE

. 2009 : Year of the Ox 　

. 2008 : Year of the Mouse 　

. 2006 : Year of the Dog

. 2005 : Year of ? 　

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2010 Year of the Tiger

from HIDEKO
source
http://www.e-etegami.com/100/120/post-44.php

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tora daruma 寅だるま tiger Daruma

from nenga.org

from blog.goo.ne.jp

from nenga.nifty.com

from kids.nifty.com

Click on the thumbnail for more !

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年賀状ビズ
from nengajou.biz/dl/temp/daruma/01/

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. . . CLICK here for more Photos !

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Daruma Otoshi だるまおとし

from kids.nifty.com

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KIGO for the New Year

hatsudayori 初便り (はつだより) first written news
..... nengajoo 年賀状（ねんがじょう）New Year Postcard
..... gajoo 賀状（がじょう）
..... nenga yuubin 年賀郵便（ねんがゆうびん）
..... nenga hagaki 、年賀端書（ねんがはがき）
nenga haitatstu 賀状配達（がじょうはいたつ）first distribution of New Year postcards

The postman brings the lot on January first, there are many special delivery services for these postcards during the first three days of the New Year.

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kesoobumi uri 懸想文売 vendor of love letters .
Kyoto, shrine Suga jinja 須賀神社

. KIGO : The New Year 　

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humanity kigo for mid-winter

nengajoo kaku 賀状書くがじょうかく writing a new year card

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. Etegami 絵手紙
Postcards with Daruma 　

. 干支　 eto, kanshi The 12 Zodiac Animals .

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Mito Komon

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Mito Komon (Mito Kōmon, Mito Koomon)
水戸黄門

© PHOTO : Orin

Look at more of her Daruma photos from Mito.

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Tokugawa Mitsukuni 徳川光圀
July 11, 1628 - January 14, 1701

was a prominent daimyo who was known for his influence in the politics of the early Edo period. He was the third son of Tokugawa Yorifusa (who in turn was the eleventh son of Tokugawa Ieyasu) and succeeded him, becoming the second daimyo of the Mito domain.

At age 27, he married a daughter of the kampaku Konoe Nobuhiro. He was responsible for assembling the Mitogaku scholars to compile a huge Japanese history, Dai Nihon shi. In it, Japan was depicted as a nation under the Emperor, analogous to that in Chinese dynasties. This helped the rise of nationalism in the late shogunate and in the Mito domain later.

In 1661, at age 34, he became the daimyo of the Mito han.

At age 63, he was awarded the court office of gon-chūnagon, or provisional middle counsellor. He posthumously received the court rank of junior first rank (1869) and first rank (1900).

In 1691, he retired to his villa, Seizanso. He died there a decade later.

He was also known as a gourmet of the Edo period. He is claimed to be one of the first Japanese to eat ramen as well as routinely enjoying such exotic food as wine and yogurt.

Mitsukuni had one son, who took the Matsudaira surname. Additionally, Mitsukuni adopted the son of an elder brother; this adopted son, Tokugawa Tsunaeda, became his heir.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Mito Kōmon (水戸黄門, Mito Kōmon)
is a Japanese jidaigeki movie that has been on prime-time television since 1969.
The title character is the historic Tokugawa Mitsukuni, former vice-shogun and retired daimyo of the Mito domain. In the guise of Mitsuemon, a retired crêpe merchant from Echigo, he roams the realm with two samurai retainers, fun-loving Sasaki Sukesaburō (Suke-san) and studious Atsumi Kakunoshin (Kaku-san). Episodes typically conclude with a brawl in which the unarmed, disguised protagonists better a crowd of samurai and gangsters, culminating with the presentation of the inrō (pillbox) that reveals the hero's identity.

Five actors have portrayed the lead character in the series. Eijirō Tōno created the part and appeared in 13 seasons. His successor was Kō Nishimura. Asao Sano followed, and Kōji Ishizaka took the role in two series, quitting for cancer treatments.

Kōtarō Satomi, has played Mitsuemon since 2002.

©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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みちのく世直し旅
Mito Komon travelling the Narrow Road to the North

The 40th installment of the series started in July 2009.
Some old friends showed up, like Ukkari no Hachibei and now a Hachibei in the second generation.
Another new face is ... you guess ...
Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉
（堺正章 Sakai Masa-aki (Masaaki)）,
a ninja like Kasaguruma no Yashichi, and
Sora, another ninja haiku poet.

1628年　光圀誕生 Mitsukuni born
1644年　光圀数え年7歳。芭蕉誕生 Basho born
1690年　光圀隠居。芭蕉数え年47歳
1694年　芭蕉没す Basho death
1700年　光圀没す Mitsukuni death

Mitsukuni was in retirement 1690年から1700年まで, just four years to meet Basho as a retired person.

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............ H A I K U

Haiku and Senryu by friends of the TV series ...
Tr. Gabi Greve

水戸黄門印籠もって旅立った
Mito Koomon inro motte tabi datta

Mito Komon
shows his pillbox
and takes off

Ayachin あやちん

助さんが 15年目で黄門様
Suke san ga juunenme de Mito Koomon

playing Suke san
for fifteen years ...
now Mito Komon

Koara コアラ
The actor Satomi Kotaro played Suke san for many years.

病室のどのテレビにもご老公
byooshitsu no dono terebi ni mo go rookoo

in the hospital
from every television
Mito Komon

Hide san ひでさん

...www.tbs.co.jp/mito/

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Japan's longest-running historical drama series,
"Mito Komon" (TBS, Mon., 7 p.m.),
ends on Dec. 19, 2011
with a special two-hour farewell installment. The series started in 1969 and has been sponsored by the same company (Panasonic, formerly National) the whole time.

source : Japan Times

Look here for the last feature:
source : www.tbs.co.jp/mito/last

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Mito Komon was my first teacher of Japanese.
When we arrived in Japan, I could not speak and understand much of the language.
I taped each program and re-run is so many times, until I fully understood what they were talking about.
As a consequence, I started talking like a Jidaigeki Japanese hero.

Plum Blossoms and Mito Komon

Maso Bosatsu 媽祖菩薩 and Mito Komon

WASHOKU
Natto beans 水戸納豆 from Mito

. Folk toys from Mito and Ibaraki .

Daruma Museum

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Exhibition

2010-11-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

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EXHIBITIONS

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浜松市博物館 Hamamatsu Museum November 2010

Sooshuu Daruma 相州だるま Daruma from Sagami (Soshu province)

だるま造りの技術は東京都多摩地方から大野村四之宮（現・平塚市四之宮）に伝わり、明治30年頃に製造が始まりました。その後、各地に技術が伝えられ、最盛期の昭和20～30年代には平塚市に5軒、厚木市に3軒、小田原市に1軒、相模原市に1軒の合計10軒ほどのだるま屋さんがしのぎを削っていました。

　現在も平塚市内3軒のだるま屋さんが年間数万個のだるまを製造しています。その製品は、相州だるまと呼ばれ、暮とお正月に県内各地に立つだるま市で商われています。神奈川県内の各家に飾られている縁起だるまの大半は平塚産なのです。これってすごいことだと思いませんか。

　特別展では、平塚産の相州だるまが大集合します。だるまは数種類あり、店ごとに顔の描きぶりも違います。古～いだるまに最新の創作だるま、サイズも3㎝のミニだるまから90㎝の関東一だるままで、各種取り揃えて展示します。張子だるまの製造工程も紹介します。

　ルーツである多摩だるまも展示し、相州だるまと比べてみます。全国各地のだるまもたくさん紹介します。だるまの絵付け教室や講演会などの催しも予定しています。暮のだるまさんの季節を迎えるまで、もうしばらくお待ちください

source : www.hirahaku.jp

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Autumn 2007 Exhibitions

Exhibition at Hamamatsu

From Collections of People all over Japan

市民コレクター展　「全国だるま総覧」　

平成19年11月3日(土)～2月11日(月)
November 3 until Februar 11.
浜松市博物館

Papermachee Daruma from all over Japan

Left side

Right side

Bottom

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Exhibition at Minami Ashigara

October 20 until November 30, 2007.

南足柄市郷土資料館で「縁起物だるま展」　
全国38都府県の356体が大集合

達磨（だるま）大師の顔を赤くした「赤だるま」や髭（ひげ）を蓄えた「髭だるま」、豆絞りの手拭いを鉢巻きにする元気印のだるま、やさしい顔の「姫だるま」、だるまを抱く猫などユニークな形の“だるま”が、訪れる人たちを出迎えている。

© www.voiceblog.jp/shonan-radio/

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Kawagoe Museum of Art

Daruma Makers
Until November 4, 2007

だるま職人　　　　
平成18年11月28日から平成19年11月4日まで

©　www.city.kawagoe.saitama.jp

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. 相州だるま　Sooshuu Daruma
相模だるま　 Sagami Daruma

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Goshiki Five Colors

2010-02-09T23:04:00.000-08:00

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Goshiki Daruma and Color Symbols
五色だるま ― 色彩散歩

Goshiki 五色　means "Five Colors".

The concept GOSHIKI comes from Buddhist philosphy, so I quote part of an excellent explanation of this online dictionary:

五識 The five consciousnesses produced in connection with the five sense organs of eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin, which take as their objects the five physical categories of form, sound, smell, taste and tactile objects: therefore, the visual consciousness 眼識, auditory consciousness 耳識, olfactory consciousness 鼻識, gustatory consciousness 舌識 and tactile consciousness 身識.

The five consciousnesses taught in the Awakening of Faith:
(1) The activity (karmic) consciousness 業識, which arises with the unenlightened mind due to original ignorance.
(2) The changing (transforming) consciousness 轉識, wherein the activity consciousness undergoes a single transformation producing the subjective view.
(3) The manifesting consciousness 現識, in which based on transformation of the activity consciousness the objective world is manifested.
(4) The knowing consciousness 智識, in which the mind creates mistaken discrimination based on its perception of the objects in the external world.
(5) The continuing consciousness 相續識, wherein, based on mistaken discrimination, the thoughts of pain and pleasure continue without abatement, thus enabling the continuity of samsara.
http://pears2.lib.ohio-state.edu/acmuller/dicts/ubdict/data/007.htm

Daruma Dolls in five colors
are ment to remind us of these truths all the time.

The Heart Sutra 般若心経 teaches us:
"All color is void, all void is color".
Color means worldly affairs, or on a more scholarly level, the five Skandhas.

Sutra, Sutras, Buddhist scriptures (kyoo, o-kyoo お経)
Hanya Shingyo 般若心経　Heart Sutra　and more

深大寺達磨 Temple Jindaiji
Jindai-ji Temple and the Sanskrit ajikan meditation 阿字観

"During his practice of contemplation and illumination the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (観音菩薩) attained Truth. By means of his minutely subtle Dharma practice he penetrated the five skandhas, perceiving them as empty.....".
http://www.buddhanet.net/heartl03.htm

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From the Great Buddhist Dictionary (仏教大辞典、小学館) we can learn the following:

The five basic colors are
Green, Yellow, Red, White and Black.
They refer to the five Skandhas (goshiki 五識), the five Wisdoms (gochi 五知) or the five Buddhas (gobutsu 五佛) as an expression of the various Buddhist teachings. In Japan there was the custom during the Heian period to hang a scroll of Buddha Amida Nyorai in front of a dying person, whith a fivecolored string (goshiki no ito 五色の糸) coming from the hand of the Buddha extending to the hands of the person. If you hold it firmly during your last minutes, you were assured a strait passage to the Paradise of the West (Amida Joodo 阿弥陀浄土).

One of the objects in the hand of a Kannon with 1000 Hands (Senju Kannon 千手観音) is a Fivecolored Cloud (goshikiun 五色雲).
The water poured over the head of the statue of Shakyamuni as a child during the festival for his birthday on April 8 (kanbutsu-e潅仏会) is called Fivecolored Water (goshikisui 五色水).

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But what are these five colors?

Tibetan Prayer Flags
The flags are fashioned in colors representing the elements of the universe.
Blue is the sky;
White is for the clouds;
Red is fire;
Green is water; and
Yellow is for the earth.
Each wave of the flag by the wind is considered one complete reading of the prayers printed on the flags.
http://www.karmacarpets.com/tibetan.htm

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. Japanese Prayer Flags in Five Colors
(goshiki ban 五色幡) 　　

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In Edo there were five temples with five identical statues of Fudoo Myoo (Acala) (Goshiki Fudoo 五色不動) to secure supernatural power for the protection of the city from the north. The stautes only differed in the color of the eyes: The place names for the black eyed Meguro and the white eyed Mejiro are still used in Tokyo today. The red eyed was in Komagome, the yellow eyed in Komatsugawa and the green eyed in Setagaya.

Goshiki Fudo / Fudo eyes in five colors in Edo
江戸の五色不動明王

Meguro Fudo 目黒のお不動さま
The most famous of these five Fudoo is the one in Meguro, where even today on the 28th of each month, the day dedicated to Fudoo, there is a huge festival and bazaar in the temple grounds where I always went to check out Daruma dolls and antiques. If you visit there, do not forget to walk around the main temple hall to the little forest in the back. There is someone waiting for you worth meeting. I will not spoil your fun by telling!

On the 28th there are also great fire rituals (goma kuyoo 護摩供養) at different hours during the day, where you can get your talismans and other belongings consecrated by Holy Fire. I once bought one talisman with the number of our car for Traffic Safety and the priest would not hand it over until it had passed the Holy Smoke. Since that day, we never had an accident with that car.
The temple compounds are quite big, with a lot of other buildings and statues to look at. One of my favorite is a stone grotto with En-no-Gyooja, the Founder of the Mountain Priests (yamabushi). I strongly recommend you visit Meguro Fudoo on any 28th day of a month, it brings back memories of OLD EDO which you have never known.
Have a look at Meguro temple.
http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~tomiaki/goshiki/meguro.html

My Visit to
. Meguro Fudo 目黒不動 .
and Tako Yakushi TAKO Yakushi　多幸薬師

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There are also some scenic areas in Japan called GOSHIKI.
Usually they have very colorful natural sourroundings to justify this name.

The Five-colored Beach Goshiki Hama in Awaji Island 淡路島の五色浜。
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Goshikihama Shrine in Iyo、Shikoku 伊予の五色浜神社
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

The Five-colored Swamps in Aizu, Urabandai 裏磐梯の五色沼
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Mount Goshiki (五色岳, Goshiki-dake) is a mountain located in the Daisetsuzan Volcanic Group of the Ishikari Mountains, Hokkaido.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Sanuki no Goshikidai 讃岐の五色台
near Takamatsu, Shikoku　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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There is a shrine at Gasshooyama 尾鑿山 in Tochigi, where the stump of an old cedar tree of more than 1800 years is venerated as the deity BLACK DARUMA Kurodaruma (黒だるま).

御神威「黒だるま」発祥の社
境内には樹齢1800年余の杉の切株が在り国内でも比類なき巨木の跡に驚く。現在は、尾鑿山山頂の奥宮の位置する峻厳な雄姿を象った御神威「黒だるま」。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
http://www.kanuma-kanko.jp/miru/shrine_details6.shtml

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The first HP I encountered checking about GOSHIKI in German was about a sort of decorative carp fish with that name.

A dark koi with red (kohaku style) hi pattern. Appears similar to an Asagi with little or no Hi below the lateral line and a Kohaku Hi pattern over reticulated (fishnet pattern) scales. The base color can range from nearly black to very pale sky blue.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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You can read all about different colors for different needs of a papermachee Daruma on this HP of Imai Shop in Japanese and order the one you need online. They all come as papermachee with no eyes, so you can make your wish and hope for the best.

I give you an overview:

Purple is for a long life and preventing disasters.
Green to remind you of your beginners mind all the time.
Pink for safe delivery and good relations (see story about ANZAN).
Yellow brings good luck.
Black wards off evil and brings black colors to your bank account.
White is for purity of mind and a wedding present.
Gold will bring you riches. (The chinese characters for Gold 金and Money 金 are the same.)

The Imai store also offers an opportunity to make a papermachee Daruma yourself. Or you can order a white one with your special wish or name written on the belly.　

　　　　　
http://www.page.sannet.ne.jp/forest/imai/jiyuu.htm

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Mini Daruma in Five Colors

　　　
In Pink, Yellow, Green, Red and White　　　　
カラー（ピンク・イエロー・グリーン）。赤・白はミニだるま

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Arai store offers Daruma in gold, silver and other colors. Have a look.
A blue and red couple for the Dolls Festival (だるま雛) is also available.　　　　　　　http://www.darumayahonpo.com/sakuhin/index.html

Kimura store has a set of colorfull Daruma. The black one is especially conspicious as a New Years Present for a company, since it contains a wish for Black Numbers on your balance sheet.
開運色だるま
White for Good Luck and Long Life, Yellow for Safety, Blue for peace, Black for Good Business, Purple for Long Life, Pink for Love.
白は福寿、黄は安全、緑は健康、青は和、黒は隆盛、金は金運、紫は長寿、ピンクは愛を願っただるまです。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
http://www8.gunmanet.ne.jp/g-ippin/06/03.htm

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Here are the Darumas in five colors from my collection. They are really quite small, only 3,5 cm large. I got them in a store in Kurashiki. For some reason, the blue one is striking purple.
私の小さい五色だるまたちです。倉敷市で2001年に購入しました。

　　　　　　　　　
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And the last one shows four of a group of five tiny Daruma in a little basket. They are only about 1 cm each.
これはミニだるまで, 高さは1cmです。五色ではなく四色しか保存されていませんでした。小さい籠に寝ています。

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五色に塗る餅柔かしお命講
goshiki ni nuru mochi yawarakashi o-meikoo

the mochi cakes
in five colors and so soft ...
memorial for Saint Nichiren

Hasegawa Kanajo 長谷川かな女 (1887 - 1969)

. Saint Nichiren and related KIGO

. WASHOKU
Goshiki dishes of Japan 　

omeikoo, o-meikoo, same as oeshiki, o-eshiki 御会式(おえしき)
kigo for autumn
Buddhist festival commemorating Saint Nichiren, who passed away at Ikegami on October 13,1282.
Saijiki of Buddhist, Shinto and other Ceremonies

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goshiki no ito 五色の糸（ごしきのいと）string of five colors
negai no ito 願の糸 (ねがいのいと) "string for wishes"
..... ganshi 願糸（がんし）
for the Tanabata Star Festival
kigo for early autumn

. Gankake 願掛け to make a wish .

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Goshiki Fudo / Fudo eyes in five colors in Edo
江戸の五色不動明王

..... Colors in Haiku Traditional Japanese Colors

Daruma Museum

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Teaburi hand warmer

2010-02-09T19:54:00.001-08:00

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Te-aburi - Daruma as a Handwarmer
手あぶりとだるま ― 寒季散歩

Before you read this story,
turn to the Hibachi brazier story as an introduction.

. Hibachi 火鉢 brazier 　

. . . CLICK here for general Photos !

. . . CLICK here for Daruma Teaburi Photos !

Te-aburi-type braziers are small portable fireplaces, which were originally transported from room to room and around them the family and guests could warm their hands and drink tea. They were made from various materials, bronze, iron, procelain, earthware or wood lined with copper.

The construction of Japanese houses was not ment to heat a room and living with nature was considered an integral part of daily life. Custom demanded that whenever a visitor arrived, the first act of hospitality would be to set a hibachi in front of him.

Ladies during the Heian period also used small te-aburi braziers to put some pieces of good smelling wood on the charcoal, place their garments over them for a while to scent the fabric before meeting with a special friend.

Te-aburi were already used in the Yayoi Period.　　　　　　　　　　
パレススタイル壷を中心として、赤い土器の器種が増えていきます。
受口状口縁台付甕や鉢、手あぶり形土器などの新器種も登場し、波状紋を施す高杯も増えていきます.。
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~iy4t-ngc/shellhp/asahi/asapot.html

Daimyo Te-aburi 　大名手あぶり
For the Lord of the Domaine

A gold lacquer Daimyo Te-aburi (handwarmer), the richly decorated lacquer stand of square form, set on four scrolling bracket feet decorated with scrolling foliage, the top with four aoi (hollyhock) mon, the Tokugawa family crest, amongst scrolling foliage and chrysanthemum flower heads. The four corners are decorated with applied metal fittings engraved with chrysanthemums and foliage, surmounted by a metal mesh fire cover with handle.

Te-aburi for on the Road
道中手あぶり Doochu Te-aburi 　
This is a portable handwarmer that was used chiefly by women while traveling.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

This "Handwarmer for the Road" reminded me of a form of body warmer I have seen in the Kashmir area of India. You carry a little basket with a metal basin holding some hot coals in front of your belly. When sitting down you swing a big coat like a poncho around the body and use the little brazier as an inside warmer.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
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Daruma Te-aburi Braziers 　だるま手あぶり

In the yearly magazine Nr. 4 of the Daruma Association there is a description of a pair of this kind of Daruma Hibachi in the Castle of Iwakuni. They are made of Hagi pottery (Hagiyaki) and are about 30 cm high and of white color.
You can learn more about Hagi Pottery on this HP by Robert Yellin.
http://www.e-yakimono.net/guide/html/hagi.html

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Here is a fine example of a bronze handwarmer in form of Daruma
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
Ca. 1880. Signed "Fujiwara" in katakibibori, the uneven engraving imitating brush strokes. The expressive face of Daruma is beautifully rendered in great depth and detail, and the suggestion of his robes creates a fluidity of line which is superb. There is a round bronze plate at the base of the interior which is cast in relief with scrolling vines and flowers surrounding a family crest ("mon") representing a "karahana" or "China flower." This heavy cast bronze has a rich wonderful patina that comes with age. Its function, in addition to being a work of art, is as a hibachi, one of the small personal ones known as te-aburi that were handwarmers for use by one of two persons at most. These were created to appeal to the personal tastes of their owners. The attractiveness of bronze hibachi is linked to the thickness of the metal and the quality of the casting, both of which are outstanding in this example.
Dimensions: 10",high,7" diameter at top, 10" diameter at widest part.
http://www.bandcantiques.com/items/66752/item66752store.html

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Photos from my friend Ishino

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I will show you now some handwarmers of my collection.

This is a sweet little Princess Daruma of white porcelain. The back is open to put in the hot coals on a layer of ashes. She comes decoradet with various patterns on her belly, some of this kind are also plain white. This one is 31 cm high and has a diameter of about 28 cm. A smaller sister also figures as ashtray.

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The next one is maybe of Izumo Pottery. His face is clearly modelled and the eyes are left open for the smoke to come out. So he has quite a sinister look on his face. He is 27 cm high and has a diameter of 28 cm.

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Here are two yawning Darumas in form of little handwarmers. They have a big open mouth to put in small pieces of charcoal and sometimes the inside is black with use.
あくびのだるまにも小さい手あぶりのタイプがありました。

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. Hibachi 火鉢 brazier 　
with kigo

Daruma Museum

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Senkootate Incense holder

2010-02-09T14:00:00.000-08:00

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Senkootate - Daruma as an Incense Stick Holder
線香立てとだるま ― 香道散歩

Koo　お香　Incense - Introduction

Koogoo - Daruma as an Incense Container　香合とだるま

Kooro - Daruma as an Incense Burner　　香炉とだるま

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backup text only

This story comprises three parts in the following order:
Senkootate, Kooro and Koogoo, Incense stick holder, Incense Burner and Incense Container.

This is the first part of our venture into the world of incense. Sometimes I feel the private use of incense in a home is the origin of all modern aromatherapy. To light an incense stick and a candle after a hectic day of work, listen to some soft music and taste some nice ricewine is a treat for all of your senses. It lifts your spirit on a higer level in no time and lets you enjoy the moment as a human BE-ING, not DO-ING for a while.

Incense in Japan has been introduced together with Buddhism in the 5th century and been used during religious ceremonies for a long time. It seems to purify the holy space of a temple and pacify the mind of the worshippers to enable them to get a glimpse (should I say: a whiff) of the Beyond. But maybe only in Japan has the use of incense been elevated to the "Way of the Incense" (koodoo 香道), next to the Way of Tea, the Way of the Flowers, the Way of the Bow and so many other Japanes WAYs of enriching life with a sence of the true, good and beautiful (shinzenbi 真善美).

During the Heian period the use of incense turned into an elaborate "Fragrance Hobby" (gankoo 翫香) which brings us to the novel of Genji (Genji Monogatari 源氏物語) by Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部.

Read about incense and poetry :
source : www.japanese-incense.com/

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In "The Book of Incense"
Kiyoko Morita introduces you to this "refined, highly nuanced art form intimately related to classical Japanese poetry and prose and dedicated to an enhanced appreciation of the sences." If you are ready for a new experience of the senses, follow the many hints of this lovely little book. In the foreword by Professor Edwin Cranston from Harvard University we read: "As in all matters of cultural appreciation, one needs to enter into the spirit of the thing. The fragrance of smoldering aromatic woods, each subtly different, makes it easy to do just that. Fragrances remind us of home - the garden, the embrace of scented sleeves, the memory of one who has passed away - and in this resides their true power." Maybe you want to light an incense stick before reading on, just as I always light one before sitting down at the desk pondering my Daruma stories.

The smell of incense can be very subtle and faint, so the act of concentrated smelling it is called "listening to incense" (monkoo, bunkoo 聞香) in Japanese.
Here is one explanation for this expression.

In the Buddha's world everything is fragrant like incense, including the words of Buddha. Fragrance and incense are synonymous, and Buddha's words of teaching are incense. Therefore Bodhisattvas listen to Buddha's words in the form of incense, instead of smelling them.
Reference : The Book of Incense

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Here is a quote form David Ollers HP about the practical use of incense sticks during Zazen practise.

"Commonly, most Buddhist teachers will say incense is not used as a psychotropic aid for meditation or religious practice, or a psychological-state altering vehicle to enlightenment. The vast majority of Buddhist monks would not prescribe incense for this purpose, and feel you should be able to meditate and achieve spiritual awakening regardless of the aromatic environment. Benefits the Zen monks may speak of are: incense helps keep the flies out of the Zendo, it prevents unwanted body odors from becoming a distraction, and that it is used as a clock or timer for sitting periods. And then they will tell you not to blink if a fly drinks the water from your eye, no odor should distract your meditation, and don't watch the clock since "Time is Being!"
http://www.japanese-incense.com/incense-sticks.htm

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Different Kinds of Incense 　お香の種類
In an article by David Oller about incense making you find an introduction to many ingredients.
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/article/feature_articles/incense/incense.html
Nippon Koodoo (Nippon Kodo) 日本香道also features some interesting information.
http://www.nipponkodo.co.jp/incense/material/index.html

Incense Ingredients
Breaking down the five elements and their Ayurvedic relationship to plants and common incense ingredients we find them falling into five classes. The following chart shows the relationship:
　1. Ether (Fruits) 　Star Anise (daiuikyoo 大茴香)
　2. Water (Stems & Branches)
　　 Sandalwood (byakudan 白檀), 　
　　 Aloeswood　(jinkoo, jinko, chinkoo, jinsuikoo 沈香 kyara 伽羅）,
　　 Cedarwood, Cassia (Chinese cinnamon, keihi 桂皮),
　　 Frankincense (Olibanum, nyuukoo 乳香),
　　 Myrrh(motsuyaku), Borneol (Bornean Camphor "Dragon's Brain" 龍脳)
　3. Earth (Roots)
　　 Turmeric（Kurkuma, ukon ウコン）, Ginger, Costus Root, Valerian,
　　 Spikenard Indian (kanzoo 甘草)
　4. Fire (flower)　 Clove（chooji 丁子）
　5. Air (leaves) 　Patchouli （パチョリ、kakkoo カッコウ）

時代が中世に至って、香木の希少性は前代と変わらなかったものの、香料を混ぜて「薫物」として使うことにより衣服や装身具、日用品や家具に至るまで香を焚き込める風習が貴族社会の中で生まれ始めます。この頃から香木は、丁子（インドネシア産：フトモモ科の木の蕾）、麝香（チベット産：ジャコウジカの雄の性線）、乳香（エジプト産：ボスウェリア属の木の樹脂）、甲香（モザンビーク産：巻貝の貝殻）、龍脳（ボルネオ産：龍脳木の内部結晶）等とともに「練香（ねりこう）」としての文化を築き始めます。
http://plaza27.mbn.or.jp/~921/ganko/ganko.html

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Kyara - Aloeswood (Agarwood)
in six different flavours from six different regions (rikkoku 六国)
Kyara is one of the most desired incense ingredients in the entire world! This amazing substance has affected individuals throughout history so powerfully that in many Asian languages the term "Kyara" has been used to signify the finest of things. The most beautiful women in Japan are called Kyara Ladies, meaning that their beauty is rare and the finest possible, Kyara Clogs meant high-quality clogs and so on.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

The most famous piece of Kyara is called "Ranjatai" and kept in the imperial storehouse Shoosooin (Shosoin 正倉院) on the grounds of the temple Toodai-ji in Nara. The white bands show where chips have been cut off as presents to high-ranking people like Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the first Tokugawa Shoogun Ieyasu.
The other areas are Rakoku (羅国)、Manaka (真那賀), Manaban (真那蛮), Sumotara (寸門多羅) and Sasora (佐曽羅).
http://www.japanese-incense.com/aloeswood.htm
http://www.baieido.co.jp/okou/genryo.html
梅栄堂の日本語はこちら。
http://www.baieido.co.jp/

Sacred wood for incense
http://www.hikoshin.org/Incense/SACRED_WOODS/SACRED_WOOD_INDEX1.htm

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Incense sticks, Joss sticks
(alternative spellings are senkoo, senko, senkou, senkoh 線香)
You get the best fragrance from a lit stick if you keep it 20 to 30 cm from your nose. The red spot where the stick is burning does not emit fragrance, rather it is the part of the stick a few milimeters below where the heat causes the fragrance to be released.
My favorite incense stick comes from the store Tenkun-Doo in Kamakura. It is the first on the list called 寿王.
私の大好きなお線香はこちらの寿王です。
http://www.tenkundo.co.jp/shop/body.html

In Japan we have some other interesting types of incense. I will introduce you to two of them.
Incense sticks with Sutras funkyookoo 焚経香
The Heart Sutra (Hanya Shinkyoo) or other sutras are written in tiny golden or silver Chinese characters on 20 incense sticks. The name of the temple where you get them is usually also written on them. The stick does not disintegrate during burning but keeps standing with the tiny letters of the sutra shining dark on the ashes. It is quite a treat to sit down quietly and watch one stick slowly turning into living ashes. If you look at the HP quoted below and touch the box of incense, you can see a picture of the stick after burning. These wonders of handycraft are made by Anshin-Doo 安心堂.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
焚経香の形状は直径2.5ミリ×145の香を20本整列させたもので、二百六十六文字におよぶ般若心経まで鮮明に表記されています。2.4ミリの文字は正常な視力の方ならはっきり判読できます。
焚経香を焚くと、煙が大気に溶けるように消えてなくなる様はあたかも目に見えないもの（神、仏、ご先祖、自分の信じるもの）に自分の気を届けてくれるようなイメージがあります。
http://www.osenko.com/funkyou.html

Incense Sticks with Buddha Image and Name
butsugenkoo 佛現香

These sticks are almost five milimeters in diameter and you need a big container to stand them firmly. They are completely black with a light spot on the top side. You put them in the container with the spot facing you and sit back in quiet meditation for about 30 minutes. After the stick has burned down about 5 milimeters without disintegrating, the face of Amida Buddha is starting to appear on the white ash stick. Then as it burns down further the Chinese characters for the incantation of Amida, Namu Amida Butsu, start to appear in dark color on the stick. As the gentle smell fills the room you can visualize the benevolence of the Buddha as you watch its name appear fully. One stick which I burned about a month ago is still standing firmly.
御仏のお姿と聖号が現れる線香です。阿弥陀さんのお顔と南無釈迦牟尼佛という文字がゆっくり線香の灰に現れます。線香を観察し香りを楽しみながらとても神秘的な30分をすごす不思議な、癒しの線香です。

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Here are some incense stick holders from Europe, with a lot more varieties on this HP.
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
http://www.euro-nic-nacs.com/index.html?incense_holders___raeucherstaebchenhalter.htm
http://www.paulawalla.com/incense_holders.html

Look at a collection of Japanese incense stick holders to buy online.
I coose just one for you with a classical pattern of waves.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
http://www.shoyeido.com/ph2.html
http://www.shoyeido.com/hand07.html
http://www.shoyeido.com/ph3.html

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photos TBA

Its time to look at some incense stick holders with Daruma.
だるまさんの線香立てをみましょう。

Here is one made of Bizen pottery and sold at local stores in Bizen City. He is only 2 cm high but his eyebrows are strongly modelled and he seems to watch the incense stick while it burns.
こちらは今備前市で売っているミニ線香たてです。備前焼のだるまさんの眉が大きくて、線香が燃えるのを見張っているような顔つきです。

This little fellow is made of Arita pottery. He comes with a little tray of white and red color. His face is painted in blue and he holds his arms forward to take the incense stick almost as if it was a sword to fight. He is 3.5 cm high.
このかわいらしいだるまは有田焼でできています。腕をまえに伸ばして、まるで剣道を棒を持つように線香を持っています。

　　
This one I got last week at a local Takashimaya department store. He comes with a heavy white tray and is quite heavy himself. His face is simple but quite expressive. He is 3 cm high and made by Nippon Craft.
こちらのだるまを先週近くの高島屋で買いました。白いお皿はすごく重くて、だるまも重いです。とても簡単な顔つきで力強いです。

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I

bright summer morning
the musty smell of jinko
still clings to your hair.

though not completely awake
last night rushes back at me

II

Mid July morning
a soft grey mist everywhere
hill and sky obscured

for forty years, behind me
now at sixty, my destination

III

cannot find the moon
yet luminous clouds tell me
that it's still up there

It would seem there're two, moons that is,
one veiled, another in my heart

Patrick Duffey, facebook

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Koo　お香　Incense - Introduction

Koogoo - Daruma as an Incense Container　香合とだるま

Kooro - Daruma as an Incense Burner　　香炉とだるま

. Incense in India ... HAIKU
Agarbatti

Daruma Museum

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Oribe Pottery

2010-02-09T13:42:00.000-08:00

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Oribeyaki 織部焼 Daruma of Oribe Pottery

My chawan tea bowl with Daruma

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Oribe pottery is not named after an aera, like most Japanese ceramics, but after the person who started the tradition.
Lets meet Furuta Oribe 古田織部 (1544 -1615).

He was a samurai and also a famous tea master. He was born in Mino (today Gifu Prefecture). He lived during troubled times of Japanese History and served Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and also Tokugawa Ieyasu. But then he sided with the Toyotomi Clan and was ordered to commit seppuku by Ieyasu in 1615.

Oribe's tea master was the famous Sen no Rikyu, but the eccentric Oribe soon started his own way of serving tea, the Oribe Way (Oribe-ryuu) and also tought the Tea Ceremony to Ieyasu's son, Hidetada.

He soon began to make his own tea utensils and other pots and plates to serve food in a unique pottery style with a green glaze and unusual forms to suit his whims. His most famous disciples are Kobori Enshuu and Hon-ami Kooetsu.
http://www.e-yakimono.net/guide/html/mino.html#oribe

He produces many warped pieces (yugami)
沓形（くつがた） kutsugata pieces
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

. shiki matsuba 敷松葉 (しきまつば) spreading pine needles 　
was invented by Oribe for his tea garden, to give it a warm and elegant touch in winter.

. . . . .

More about Hon-ami Kooetsu.
. Reference .

Oribe Pottery is part of the Mino tradition.
. Mino Pottery Reference .

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Click for more examples

There are many types of ORIBE pottery.

　・青織部 …Bluegreen Oribe　器の一部に緑釉を施し、余白に鉄絵文を加えたもので、量的な点から織部を代表する作品群。
　・黒織部 …Black Oribe　緑釉の代わりに黒釉をかけたもの。
　・総織部 …All Glazed Oribe　器物全体、あるいは大半を緑釉で覆ったもの。
　・絵織部 …Oribe with Pictures　白地に鉄絵だけで文様が施されているもの。
　・鳴海織部 …Narumi Oribe　緑釉と染め分けの余白の地が白地でなく赤土となっている。　
　・赤織部 …Red Oribe　赤土を素地とし、それに鉄絵文・白泥を加えたもの。
　・弥七田織部 …Yashichida Oribe　素地は薄手で繊細な絵付けを施し、薄い発色の緑釉を細く紐状にたらし掛けしたもの。
　・伊賀織部…Iga Oribe　美濃伊賀・織部伊賀とも呼ばれ、大胆な形としヘラや印刻でアクセントをつけ白泥と黒褐色の飴釉を流しかけたもの。
　・唐津織部 …Karatsu Oribe　絵唐津風な作品で織部と唐津の繋がりを感じさせるものです。
　・志野織部 … Shino Oribe　志野と織部の中間的な性質を帯びたもの。　　　
一口に織部といってもこのようにたくさんの種類がありわかりにくいと思います。織部釉の青が掛かっていなくても織部焼の範疇に入ります。
http://www.mitene.or.jp/~oono/tea03-19.html

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Talking about Oribe, I should mention the Tea Ceramony, but I keep that for a different story.

. WKD : Tea Ceremony Saijiki
茶道の歳時記　

Just as I am writing this, on May 26, 2002 The Japan Times featured some articles about Green Tea and the Tea Ceremony, so you might have a look.

　　 Tea to soothe the soul
　　 By ERIC PRIDEAUX
　　 http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?fl20020526a1.htm

　　 The pick of the crop
　　 By YOKO HANI
　　 http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?fl20020526a2.htm

　　 Art and life in a bowl
　　 By LINDA INOKI
　　 http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?fl20020526a3.htm

　　 The great green elixir?
　　 By MASAMI ITO
　　 http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?fl20020526a4.htm

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Oribe Matsuri 織部祭り
In the town of Toki, there is a special Oribe Festival on August 3 and 4, 2002.
. Reference : Oribe Festival .

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There is a Museum with Oribe and Shino Pottery.

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Now have a look at my Daruma in Oribe style, standing a tall 21 cm high. His little toes are showing under the robe and his face has the eccentric features of Old Oribe himself.　Daruma statues in the Oribe style are very seldom.
私の織部達磨です。個性があって、すごい迫力の作品です。高さ21cm。

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Another typical piece of Oribe pottery are the oil dishes (aburazara 油皿), to be put under a portable room lantern (andon 行燈). They were frequently used in every household until the electric light took over.

In the following interesting article in English you get an overview about the illumination during the Edo period.

. Choochin, Andon, Japanese lanterns and Daruma

Here is a typical oil dish from Miyoshi san:
織部行灯皿

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Finally the oil dish of my collection. The little Daruma is painted with a few abstract strokes only, the body almost forming a spiral. Diameter 21 cm.
私の油皿です。だるまの体がスパイラルのように抽象的に描かれています。

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Oil Dish : Mouse and Bread

Yakimono Pottery ... General Information

Incense and Daruma

Kobori Enshuu Student of Furuta Oribe

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織部雛父似の娘乳子を抱く
Oribe bina chichi ni no musume chigo o daku

Oribe dolls -
holding my baby girl
which looks like papa

source : mahoroba shahai

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Matsu the Pine

2010-02-09T13:24:00.000-08:00

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Matsu - The Pine and Daruma
松と達磨―古木散歩

backup only

Here is the English version of the following text by Kyobashi San.
杏橋さんの松についての話の英語版です。日本語はこちら：
http://www.amie.or.jp/daruma/matsu.html

Daruma growing out of a Pine - Matsu - I will wait (matsu) forever

A short translators explanation of the meaning of this pun:

MATSU in Japanese can either mean "A pine tree" or the verb "to wait".

This is one of the favorite pieces of my small collection. Like growing directly out of the pine, this Daruma is carved perfectly out of a gnarled piece of pinewood.

He seems to grow out of this bump of the tree, which has been gathering the resin of the tree for many long years and looks like he could still ooze out power for us now.

The symbolic meaning of the Pine Tree is "Long Life".

Pine trees show abundand green even in the fiercest of winter and hardly dry out, so they have been a symbol of long life in China since old times. As symbol of good luck and agelessness this tree has stood in veneration and together with the bamboo and plum tree as become an expression of celebration and joy　松竹梅。

The illustration below shows a Chinese dish of the Ming period with the letter for long life 寿 painted like an old pine tree. For the old Chinese this was a well-conceived symbolic rendering.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
(The plate is shown in the National Museum in Tokyo.)

The auspicios symbol of the pine is found in many places in Japan.
In the old Japanese poem collection Manyooshuu『万葉集』there are many mentions of the pine tree like "growing abundantly like the pine tree". During the New Year season it is the custom to place an arrangement of pine greenery at the corners of the manor (kadomatsu 門松), to pray for the well-beeing of the household during the coming year.

Daruma as a symbol for the indomitable spirit of never giving up, toghether with the Pine - a display of such a Daruma contains the wish for the health and long life of people.

This Daruma here is shining all over from many years of polishing by humand hands.

We have seen similar Daruma figures in the story about Sanuki carving.
On a recent visit to the famous temple Zentsu-ji 善通寺in Shikoku I found an interesting piece of wood, honored in the temple grounds, which seems to be the ancestor of all the Sanuki carving pieces. This temple was build in memory of the birth of the famous Kooboo Daishi, originator of the Shikoku Pilgrimage, whom we have met frequently in these stories. The temple is not Nr. 1, as one might think, but Nr. 75 towards the end of the 88 temples.

Let me quote an extensive research paper about the ancestors and youth of Kooboo Daishi. "Kukai was born in 774 in Byobu-ga-ura (Screen Bay), an inlet village near Tadotsu in the Sanuki prefecture of Shikoku. Zentsuji, which is further inland also claims to be his birthplace pointing to a dilapidated temple said to be on the very spot once occupied by his parents' house."
Keep reading on this HP.
空海の祖先や青春についての詳しい英語の論文がこちらにあります。 http://www.sit.wisc.edu/~rsgreen/Kukai2.htm

空海の少年時代を和紙で表現するHPもあります。
http://www.mikkyo21f.gr.jp/art_utsumi001-02.html

In the garden of Zentsu-ji we find the famous "Pine of the Revered Image" [御影の松]. When Kuukai came back to his birthplace after studying in China, he could not meet his mother. So he leaned over the pond and had his features depict in the water. He then painted his features and sent this picture to his mother. The pine tree nearby, which witnessed this event, is withered now, but his huge body is still revered as a holy relic of the time.

御影の池
御影堂の正面にある小さな池。弘法大師が唐に留学するため京より帰宅した時、母の玉依御前が非常に名残り惜しんだので、この池の面に姿を写して自画像を描いて母君に贈ったという。また、この池を覆っていた松はすでに枯れてしまったが、池の前に枯木として保存し「御影の松」と呼ばれている。

http://www3.justnet.ne.jp/~nakamura-ja5orl/junrei/75z.htm

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

When you stand in front of this huge piece of weatherbeaten wood, it still feels alive and vibrant with energy. You can imagine Daruma san or Kuukai himself just climbing out of it any time.
讃岐彫りのご先祖見たいな巨木ですね。力一杯にいまでも生きているようです。古木のパワーはすごいです。

There is one more quite impressive old pine tree alive in the garden.
もう一つ元気な巨木の古松があります。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Here is another famous old tree of the temple compound, a huge camphor tree of more than 1200 years. It is said it has witnessed the birth of Kuukai and was loved by the young boy, who run there to hide in the branches when in trouble.
弘法大師の誕生を見た大楠。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
This tree feels like a huge universe in itself, somehow timeless in its largesse and makes you and your everyday problems feel pretty small and unimportant as you stand there engulfed in awe, almost beyond time and space.
この木の下に立つと人間の問題や日常生活の忙しさは永遠の時間と空間に消えてしまいそうです。あまりにも独特の宇宙を生み出す巨木です。
Here are some more pictures of the old trees in the temple compound.
善通寺に古い木がたくさんあります。このHPも見てください。
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/rekisi-neko/index/zentuuji.html

Presented by Gabi Greve, GokuRakuAn, July, 2002.

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Daruma Museum

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Tsurukame

2010-02-08T22:06:00.000-08:00

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Tsurukame ― Crane, Tortoise and Daruma
鶴亀とだるま

The Beard of Daruma was painted in the form of a snake (rather "Dragon"｢蛇＝龍｣) in the beginning. Why did it change to a tortoise?

The beard is a snake ｢蛇｣
The beard is a turtiose ｢亀」

This image dates from 1777 and shows a Tumbler Doll Daruma with Saigyoo Hooshi (a famous poet, Saigyo Hoshi 西行法師). This is probably the oldest picture of a Daruma Doll. From then on Daruma became a popular theme.

This illustration shows the face of this Daruma. His eyebrows are in the form of a crane and the beard clearly shows the form of a snake, or rather a wild dragon.

This is a modern classical Daruma Doll and as we can see the beard looks like a tortoise lifting its head."The crane lives 1000 years, the tortoise 10.000 years" as a Japanese proverb goes. Both animals are symbols of longevity.

But why was it a snake in the beginning?
And for what purpose did it change into a turtoise? And what about the combination with a crane? Maybe the tortoise is the painted version of the deformation of the snake's head and the scales?

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Tortoise and Snake　亀と蛇
I have checked out about the connection of Turtoise-Snake first and the story brings us back to ancient China.

In Chinese culture, especially under the influence of Taoism (道教) the turtoise is the symbol of heaven and earth, its shell compared to the vaulted heaven and the underside to the flat disc of the earth. The tortoise was the hero of many ancient legends. It helped the First Chinese Emperor to tame the Yellow River, so Shang-di rewarded the animal with a lifespan of Ten Thousand Years. Thus the turtoise became a symbol for Long Life.

It also stands for immutability and steadfastness. We often see stone grave steles on a stone tortoise or reliquiaries standing on it.
The tortoise is also regarded as an immortal creature. As there are no male tortoise - as the ancient believed - the female had to mate with a snake. Thus the turtoise embracing a snake became the protector symbol of the north, but since the word "tortoise" was taboo in Chinese, it was referred to as the "dark warrior" (genbu 玄武 ) and finally became one of the protector gods of the four areas, Zhenwu in Chinese Taoism.

This sone sculpture is part of a sarcophage of a Chinese aristocrat around 500, showing a turtoise entwined by a snake. The symbol of Zhenwu, the Protector God of the North, as tortoise and snake dates back to the third century B.C.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
This one (which is a little hard to see) we have an ink rubbing from a stele from the Pagoda of Six Harmonies in Zhejiang province, China, from about 1586. Here we see Zhenwu, the Perfected Warrior, standing on the back of a tortoise entwined with a snake.

The two animals themselves where also used to represent the protector gods of the north. This tradition was carried over to Japan, where for example Tokugawa Ieyasu was very concious in choosing a place for his new capital, Edo, with a Mountain (Mt. Fuji) and the Dark Warrior in the north.

. The four protector deities of Edo 　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
During the birthday celebrations for a Chinese emperor, a crane and a turotise had to come forth and dance for him, praying for his long life. Then the emperor himself would perform a dance praying that his reign and life be long, his country be in peace and prosperous.

You can find out more about Taoism and Zhenwu in the magnificent catalog about "Taoism and the Arts of China".
http://www.asianart.com/exhibitions/taoism/

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Tsurukame tsuru kame 鶴亀 Tortoise and Crane

The connection between a turtoise and a crane also dates back to China. The crane too was a symbol of Long Life and also the symbol of the relationship of Father and Son according to the Confucian philosophy. Furthermore the crane is a symbol of wisdom. When a highranking Taoist priest died, it was said he was "turning into a crane".

In Japanese Buddhist art, we have a candle holder in the form of a crane standing on a tortoise (tsurukame shokudai 鶴亀燭台). This kind of temple decoration was often used by the New Sect of the Pure Land (joodo shinshuu 浄土真宗). Usually the crane was carrying a lotos flower with a long stem in his mouth and the flower was formed in a way to hold the candle. These types of illumination stands were produced since the Muromachi Period.

Tsuruame candleholder 鶴亀の燭台
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

At the famous Tooshoogu Shrine in Nikko, there is a huge monument in the form of Crane/Tortoise.
日光東照宮の鶴亀の燭台。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
http://sat.cside3.jp/home/1/tra27-1-4.html

There is a store that sells Tsurukame zabuton covers.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
座布団にも鶴亀。
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

In the tradition of Kaga Yuuzen, there is also a door curtain (noren) with this decoration as a wedding present for a bride.
“Hanayome Noren”（花嫁のれん）is said to be the origin of " Kaga Yuzen" a sheet of cloth on which felicitous designs such as "Shoochikubai"(pine leaves, bamboo and plum flowers) or "Tsurukame"(crane and tortoise) are hand dyed and used as one of the bridal items.
http://www.kimono.or.jp/dic/eng/03Dye-Hokuriku.html

Finally a classic Noh-Play with this conspicious title.
能舞台にも鶴亀があります。
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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The famous Daruma from Shirawaka features more good luck symbols: The Pine/Bamboo/Plum with Crane/Tortoise. (Shoochikubai Tsurukame). The tradition goes back to Matsudaira Sadanobu (1758 -1829).
松平定信公のおかかえ画匠・谷文晁の考案によると伝えられる「鶴亀松竹梅」を取り入れた縁起だるま。

. Shirakawa Daruma 白川だるま　

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We still do not know when and why the snake changed to a tortoise on the face of Daruma, but we keep looking. But the roots of these animals as symbols for good luck and longevity go way back to ancient China and the Taoist tradition.

Finally just one more stone Daruma in my garden,
with Crane and Tortoise as his facial features in my collection.

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Crane, Grus japonensis (tsuru) as KIGO

Turtle, turtoise (kame) as KIGO

. WHO is Daruma ?

Daruma Museum

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Banzai

2010-02-08T18:35:00.000-08:00

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Banzai Daruma

by Mauricio Eiji

© Mauricio Eiji

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Sandai Banzai Daruma from Mihara
Banzai ! Daruma of Three Generations

. Mihara Daruma 三原だるま　

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Banzai may refer to various things:

A traditional Japanese exclamation meaning
"Ten thousand years 萬歳 10000 years"

The use of the phrase "ten thousand years" in various East Asian languages originated in ancient China as an expression used to wish long life to the Emperor, and is typically translated as "long live" in English. Due to the political and cultural influence of China in the area, and in particular of the Chinese language, cognates with similar meanings and usage patterns appeared in many East Asian languages (see the table to the right for an overview of these).

In recent times, the term has been associated with Imperial Japan (due to a Meiji-era reintroduction of the term as banzai) and with the Cultural Revolution in Mainland China, where it was used to laud Mao Zedong. Although its usage in both countries is now less common, it nevertheless does not engender a negative connotation and, especially in the greater China area, continues to be used in historical contexts and occasionally informally.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

Banzai charge or banzai attack, a last,
desperate military charge
"Banzai charge" (or "banzai attack", from the Japanese Banzai totsugeki) (萬歳突撃) was a term applied during World War II by the Allied forces to human wave attacks mounted by infantry forces of the Imperial Japanese Army. The name Gyokusai (Japanese: 玉砕, honorable suicide; literally "jade shards") was however used by the Naikaku Johōkyoku (Cabinet Information Bureau) and the media of the Imperial Japanese regime. These attacks were usually launched as a suicide attack to avoid surrender and dishonor or as a final attempt at maximizing the odds of success in the face of usually numerically superior Allied forces.

Gyokusai (玉砕), literally "shattered jade", is a Japanese euphemism for suicide attack, or suicide (seppuku) in the face of defeat. It is based on a quote of the 7th century Classical Chinese text Book of Northern Qi, 大丈夫寧可玉砕何能瓦全 "a great man should die as a shattered jewel rather than live as an intact tile."
It was applied to a conception of honourable death in defeat by Saigō Takamori (1827–1877), and employed as a slogan ichioku gyokusai (一億玉砕) "one hundred million broken jewels" by the Japanese government during the last months of the Pacific War, when Japan faced invasion by the Allies. Some of the precepts for this belief also came from misinterpretations of a key line in Tsunetomo Yamamoto's Hagakure, a well-known 18th-century treatise on bushido. It is important to note that the terms banzai charge or banzai attack were used by Westerners to describe this type of desperate action. Though banzai is a Japanese term, it was seldom used this way by the Japanese.

"Banzai" (萬歳), which became a Japanese battle cry during the war, is translated literally as "ten thousand years" and is a common exhortation of long life or celebration in Japan, essentially wishing for something or someone to persevere for eternity. Suicide charges and human-wave attacks alike were called "banzai charges" by Allied troops due to the Japanese Army's practice of shouting Tennōheika banzai! (天皇陛下萬歳！), meaning
"May the Emperor reign for ten thousand years," during such charges.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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H A I K U 万歳

also read MANZAI
. Manzai 漫才. 万歳 / Banzai 萬歳
kigo for the New Year

ばんざいもまんざいもあるや　だるまさん
banzai mo manzai mo aru ya Daruma san

there is BANZAI
and there is MANZAI ...
with Daruma san

だるまてんぐのあかてんくろてん　
きょうだいばんざいの巻

万歳がほめし柱にむめ活けむ大江丸
万歳が撫でて行きたる小犬かな五所平之助
万歳にたわめる藪や夕渡舟飯田蛇笏霊芝
万歳に濠白波の立つ日かな石田勝彦
万歳に若狭の菓子の売られけり山本洋子
万歳に陽ざしの深き一間あり児玉輝代

万歳のうしろ姿も恵方道高浜虚子
万歳のえへへおほほとめでたけれ小田中雄子
万歳のお宿はどこぞ梅のはな梅正岡子規
万歳のさす手引く手や鼓打つ挿雲
万歳のならびとほりてわらび山宇佐美魚目天地存問
万歳のひとり来てゐる離島かな茨木和生
万歳のふみならしけりさゞれ石梅室
万歳のまかり出たよ親子連一茶 ■文化元年甲子(四十二歳)
万歳のやどを隣に明けにけり荷兮
万歳のわらわらゆきて岬かな関戸靖子
万歳のゑいやとはいる枢かな竹也
万歳のゑぼし姿やわたし船炭太祇太祇句選後篇
万歳の三河の国へ帰省かな風生
万歳の三河の波の鼓のごとし林火
万歳の佇み見るは紙芝居高浜虚子
万歳の冠初めよりゆるむ森田峠
万歳の初音や門に入りつづみ井月の句集井上井月
万歳の口や真砂は尽きるとも千代尼
万歳の吹かれ来にけり天津風野村喜舟小石川
万歳の太夫の鼓ひとつの荷結城美津女
万歳の子も万歳の十二歳高浜虚子
万歳の影大きなる朝日かな東春
万歳の折れんばかりの大男浜井武之助
万歳の来てゐる夜の神楽坂蟇目良雨
万歳の渡りしあとや水温む水温む正岡子規
万歳の烏帽子かしぐは酔へるかな野村喜舟
万歳の烏帽子さげ行く夕日かな闌更
万歳の畑うつ頃や桃の花横井也有蘿葉集
万歳の算へ残しよ粥ばしら黄花
万歳の終りの腰は泣きさうに加藤知世子花寂び
万歳の舞の手富士をゑがきけり茂恵一郎
万歳の舞声聞ゆ梅が門几董
万歳の袴がくがく坂下る殿村菟絲子『路傍』
万歳の遠ければ遠き世のごとく青邨
万歳の酔うて居るなり船の中久保田九品太
万歳の里見廻して山ばかり百合山羽公
万歳の間に玄界のどよもしぬ野中亮介
万歳の頤ながき旦かな白雄
万歳の顔が出てくる雪の木戸武藤紀子
万歳の顔に紐垂る煙霧都市小川双々子
万歳の鶴の広袖ひろげ舞ふ福田蓼汀
万歳の鼓にひらく梅の花梅正岡子規
万歳の鼓に袖のかぶさりて高浜虚子
万歳の鼓森一つ隔てたり臼田亞浪定本亜浪句集

万歳は二人づれなる山河かな佐野青陽人
万歳は今も烏帽子ぞ都鳥正岡子規
万歳は縞蛇またぎ行方も知れず安井浩司阿父学
万歳は語り部の里素通りに杉本寛

万歳やあくびにも扇とりあへず東皐
万歳やそも～飯を立場茶屋角田竹冷
万歳やめしのふきたつ寵の前炭太祇太祇句選
万歳やもどりは老いのはづかしく千代女
万歳や伊賀の上野の駅の前西山泊雲泊雲句集
万歳や佐渡より金の湧き貌に野村喜舟小石川
万歳や合点々々の鼓打つ八木林之助
万歳や岩間は古き宿場町井上史葉
万歳や左右にひらいて松の陰向井去来
万歳や年のはじめの夕まぐれ久保田万太郎
万歳や東風にふかるる餅袋一茶
万歳や爰八橋に酔うてゆく蓼太
万歳や猿曳よりも吹かれ行く余子
万歳や百年いきなば友なからん高湯順三九
万歳や真赤な月の雑木山辻桃子桃
万歳や窪田箸尾の鼓振り富浪夏風
万歳や篠に小笹に雪つもり小川軽舟
万歳や舞ひをさめたるしたり顔太祇
万歳や金春を出て烏森竹村秋竹
万歳や雀驚く鶴の丸野村喜舟小石川
万歳や飯の吹きたつ竃の前太祇
万歳や館の構にかゝり来る尾崎迷堂孤輪
万歳や馬の尻へも一祝ひ一茶
万歳や鶏おどろかぬ古つづみ元夢
万歳や鶏なくかたへ行く野道鳳朗
万歳や黒き手を出し足を出し正岡子規
万歳や鼓を膝に夕渡萍雨

万歳をして冬に入る鵙の贄大木あまり火球
万歳をして初空へ縮む母木下蘇陽
万歳をして緑蔭を出で来たる坊城俊樹
万歳をして落つ蝉の手をそのまゝ高澤良一寒暑
万歳を其夜とめたる長者振り四明句集中川四明
万歳を座敷に上げて舞はせけり茨木和生

many moresource : HAIKUreikuDB

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. 君が代 Kimigayo, the Japanese Anthem 　

. Emperor's Birthday (tennoo tanjoobi)
天皇誕生日　

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[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]

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Wall sticker　wallpaper

2010-02-08T18:33:00.000-08:00

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Wallpaper, Wall sticker

ウォールステッカーだるま

To paste on your wallpaper.

Various colors are available for these patterns

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デザイン集団 StraとWallstyle の
コラボウォールステッカー！

source : item.rakuten.co.jp/wallstyle

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More wallpaper

source : deviantart.com

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Daruma Museum

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Hakobi Daruma

2010-02-08T17:05:00.000-08:00

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Carry around Daruma だるま運び
hakobi daruma
on a stretcher

It is made from inflatable plastic and used at schools for children to practise keeping balance while two students carrying him.

. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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Daruma Museum

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Meoto Fuufu and Enmusubi

2010-02-08T13:31:00.000-08:00

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Meoto Daruma and Takasago - 高砂
Daruma and a Happy Couple
fuufu Daruma 夫婦だるま

The Takasago Legend 高砂伝説
This legend is one of the oldest in Japanese mythology. An old couple - his name is Joo (尉) and hers is Uba (媼) known together as Jotomba - are said to appear from the mist at Lake Takasago. The old man and his wife are usually portrayed talking happily together with a pine tree in the background. Signifying, as they do, a couple living in perfect harmony until they grow old together, they have long been a symbol of the happiness of family life. The story is portrayed in a famous Noo play "Takasago no Uta":

At Takasago Shrine there is a very old pine tree, the trunk of which is bifurcated (相生の松); in it dwells the spirit of the Maiden of Takasago who was seen once by the son of Izanagi who fell in love and wedded her. Both lived to a very great age, dying at the same hour on the same day, and since then their spirits abide in the tree, but on moonlight nights they return to human shape to revisit the scene of their earthly felicity and pursue their work of gathering pine needles.

His pine tree is also called "The Pine of Sumi-no-e" (住吉の松) and hers is the Takasago pine (高砂の松). The old woman is using a broom to sweep away trouble and he carries a rake to rake in good fortune. In Japanese this is also a play of words with "One Hundred Years" (haku > sweeping the floor) and "until 99 years" (kujuku made > kumade, meaning a rake).

In Japan, at wedding ceremonies, the Takasago song is recited and Takasago figures are put on a special "Island Shelf" called called Shimadai (島台) together with auspicious Pine-Bamboo-Plum and Crane with Turtle decorations placed in the wedding room and presented to the bridal couple. Depictions of the Takasago figures can be made from lacquer, ceramics, wood carvings and textiles and are to invoke a long and fruitful married life for the newlyweds. These figurines are also given as presents for a wedding aniversary of 25 or 50 or more years. For the diamond wedding aniversary of 60 years, some communities also give Takasago Dolls to the happy couple.

Takasago city is located in Hyogo prefecture in Western Japan. It is situated on the Seto Inland Sea approximately 40 kilometers west of Kobe. The settlement that became Takasago city was established on the delta at the mouth of the Kako River. This river formation gave rise to the name of "taka" "sago" which literally means "high" "sand", a reference to the vast amounts of sand deposited at the mouth of the Kako River.

Takasago is well known as the birthplace of classical song "Yookyoku Takasago", which is a famous wedding song throughout Japan, and thus the town was declared as "The Bridal City Takasago" in 1988.

Takasago Shrine 高砂神社
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
　　　　　　　　
According to the shrine's legend, when the Empress Jinguu returned in triumph from Korea, her ship stopped at Takasago port. She built a large shrine to maintain control of the country. Keep reading more about this old legend on the following HP.
神功皇后が韓国から戻ったとき、船が高砂に着いたといわれています。

. Jingu Kogo 神功皇后 and Japanese Dolls .

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Text of the famous Wedding Song Takasago 高砂や

高砂や、この浦舟に帆をあげて、この浦舟に帆をあげて、月もろともに出で潮の、波の淡路の島影や、遠く鳴尾の沖過ぎて、
はや住の江に着きにけり、
はや住の江に着きにけり。

Takasago Bay!
Raising the sail on this cable,
together with the moonrise, the rising tide.
See, the reflection of Awaji Island
bove the waves far past the offing at Naruo.
We have reached Sumi-no-e, already.
We have reached Sumi-no-e, already!

The Noo Play of Takasago 能の高砂
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

You find a full translation of the Noo Play (Noh Play) "Takasago" on the following HP.
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/japanese/noh/TylTaka.html

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Takasago Dolls 高砂人形 Takasago Ningyoo

These figurines are usually a present for a wedding or wedding anniversary, as we have stated above. They are very carefully made and quite expensive, as suits the occasion. Usually the old man is placed on the left and the old lady on the right, as you face them. This is the traditional position for a pair at a wedding of the nobility. But lately at weddings the bride stands on the right side. Maybe this is a copy of the position of the Royal English Couple? Since olden times, the seat on the right has been the "Elevated Seat" (kamiza 上座) for the most noble person in the room. So maybe the position of the bride has changed in this way? We may only wonder who is the most important person at a wedding.

The groom says: "You will live until one hundred (haku made>using the broom), I will live until ninety nine (kujuku made>kumade>using the rake), together we will live happily until our hair turns white!"

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Takasago Dolls belong to the group of "Storytelling Dolls", depicting scenes of famous stories, actors, dancers or "tableaux" from familiar tales, often Noo plays.

Takasago Dolls of the Nara type -
Nara Ningyoo 奈良人形
Nara Dolls typically represent Noo actors. Small wooden Noo figures painted in vivid colours were first used to decorate the hats of priests and musicians at the Kasuga Shrine festival in Nara. Other well known subjects are represented by Nara dolls, such as Jo and Uba, the happy old couple of Takasago.

Trees growing close together or two stems from one trunk are also called "meoto".
Meoto sugi 夫婦杉 pines growing like a couple
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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By chance I found a surprising Daruma item related to Takasago while writing this story.

Click on the photo to see the single figure.

At first it looks like some standing decoration figure, but as you might remember from the story about Sake pourers (Tokkuri) that the head comes off to become a little sake cup. This one is more wonderous. The head with the headband comes off and woo, there is a ladie's head beneath it. That one comes off too to bring you two cups for a happy couple.
Inside the head of Mr. Daruma we read:
"I will live until ninety-nine!" and
inside the head of Mrs. Daruma we read:
"I will live until one hundred!",
reminding us of the Takasago story and the hope that the wife will live just one year longer than her husband. The little tokkuri is just 11 cm high and nicely rounded to fit in a small hand.

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Meoto Daruma 夫婦だるま　Mr. And Mrs. Daruma

MEOTO can also be read FUUFU and a memorial day for happy couples is the second day of the second month, 2月2日、since FU means TWO. Some hotels and restaurants also give special reductions for couples on the 22 of any month.
And if you blow on a hot soup in Japanese, your sound is: Fuu Fuu.

You buy them as a pair and keep them to remind you of the endurance and perseverance it takes to make a marriage sucessfull. They are sold at special temples and shrines dedicated to finding and keeping a partner for life. In some areas, dolls of the Daruma Couple are burned on the last day of the New Years festiviteis. Look at more pictures of this festival on January 14th.

I already introduced a nice couple in the story of Wakasa Laquer.
Wakasa Daruma ― 若狭　だるま Laquer and achate stone

A Daruma Couple is from the Great Shrine at Miwa.
In the large compounds of this shrine there is a sacred stone formation like a loving couple (meoto-iwa 夫婦岩)、and the gate leading to this stones is called "Gate of bringing together a loving couple" (enmusubi no torii 縁結びの鳥居). Our Daruma seems to be growing a beard, since his chin is colored in light gray. They are both made of papermachee, about 4 cm high and come in a little box.

You can learn more about this wonderful shrine and the legends of this old site on the following HP.
http://www.oomiwa.or.jp/eng.html

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A couple within a couple of kokeshi dolls

and some manekineko cat
with a Daruma couple

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Next we have a couple from Arima Hot Spring near Kobe City.
Legend has it that the Arima Hot Spring was discovered by the ancient gods and that it was inherited from an era of myths and legends. The Arima Hot Spring is the oldest hot spring in Japan and the name of the Hot Spring itself dates back to at least the Man-yoohshuu, the oldest anthology of Japanese poetry.
The Daruma couple is made of wood and they are standing in front of a folding screen like at a wedding reception. They are about 2 cm high, the screen is 5 cm. Mr. Daruma's belly is painted in white lines, hers in red.
http://www.arima-onsen.com/
http://www.kinzan.co.jp/

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Enmusubi and more Happy Couples 　
縁結びだるま

If you are still looking for a good spouse, then you must pray to find a partner for life (enmusubi 縁結び). There are many shrines and temples in Japan specializing in this field of human activities and our Daruma sometimes comes as a go-between.

koimusubi 恋むすび　binding together in love
with a little fragrance bag (nioibukuro) to go!

There are lot of amulets and talismans for all kinds of problems in life. One of them is the "Enmusubi Daruma", which often comes as two little plastic Darumas with a little bell each. This one was purchased at Tsuruga Castle in Aizu Wakamatsu.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

There are some shrines in Japan, dedicated to happy couples.
Here are just a few samples.

from . Shrine Akama Jingu 赤間神宮 .

fuufu wago 夫婦和合　for a harmonious couple
fuufu omamori 夫婦守り happy couple amulet
ryooen jooju 良縁成就 to keep a good match

Shinzan Jinja 新山神社（夫婦神社）
夫婦松 Pine for a couple
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Saifuku Meoto Jinja 齎福夫婦神社

Meoto Jinja in Osaka 大阪の夫婦神社

Meoto-Matsu at Akiba Jinja
Kasukabe no meoto matsu 春日部の夫婦松
Meoto-matsu, the married pine tree, is truly a natural wonder. A pine tree and maidenhair tree grow from a single trunk, branching out separately about a meter above ground. Meoto-Matsu was the sacred tree of Akiba-jinja Shrine.

. Izumo Taisha 出雲大社 Izumo Grand Shrine .
and the powerful enmusubi amulet

. Fushimi Inari Fox Shrine 伏見稲荷大社 .
Kyoto

. Kifune Shrine 貴船神社 Kibune in Kurama .
Kyoto
むすび守袋型 Musubi bag form
むすび守文型 Musubi letter form

. . . . . and
. enkiri 縁切り　to cut the bonds with someone .

akuen kiri omamori 悪縁切御守 to cut bad partnership

. Wara ningyoo 藁人形 straw dolls for curses .

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Doll for a Lucky Couple Fukumusubi no Ningyoo
福結びの人形

In the collection of old Japanese legends, Koojiki, we read the story of Emperor Nintoku who fell in love with a fair princess of the Kibi area (present day Okayama prefecture) and came all the way by ship from Kyoto to meet her. Remembering this sweet love we have a papermachee doll of one body with two faces.
You can buy one at Okayama station or other famous tourist places in the prefecture. If you get one you have to write your own name and the name of your beloved on two slips of paper, make a longlasting knot of the slips and hide them inside the doll while wishing for a happy future for the both of you. That should do the trick!

Here is one more special pair designed as ONE Daruma Doll with two faces. The producer, Mr. Nisaburo Yamashita had so many customers who wanted a male and female Daruma、 he decided to make it easier for them to buy just ONE doll.
両面だるま　　山下仁三郎作
男達磨と女達磨

. Folk Toys from Okayama .

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Some Daruma Families だるま家族
Let us look at some happy Daruma families too, while we are at this subject.

Here is a group of Father, Mother and Child from Kibitsu Shrine, in the same area of Okayama prefecture as we have talked about above. They are made of clay (tsuchiningyoo 土人形) and are about 3 cm high. Father Daruma has a round face with only a round spot in the middle. Baby Daruma has a white bottom and both mother and child have very simple facial features. All three of them have a very heavy and broad bottom part. They are sold as a talisman for finding a partner, keeping one and having children with him. This talisman had been out of making for a while, but now you can get the funny family again.

source : Photos from Kibitsu Shrine

. Folk Toys from Okayama .

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Kiyomizuyaki pottery from Kyoto

. WASHOKU
Meoto Tablewear for a happy couple 　

. Hashi 福だるま夫婦箸 Chopsticks for a happy couple ! 　

. WASHOKU
enmusubi manjuu 縁結び饅頭 rice cakes 　
from Izumo Shrine, Shimane

Couple’s Day (fuufu no hi, Japan) February 2
a KIGO

Daruma Museum

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土産に買ふめをとまんじゆう初聖天
miyage ni kau meoto manjuu hatsu shooten

as a souvenir I buy
rice cakes for a good couple -
first Shoten ceremony

Sekido Takahiro 関戸高敬

Kankiten (Kangiten　歓喜天, also
Shooten　聖天;
Vinaayaka, Nandikeshvara, Ganesh)

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. Regional Folk Toys from Japan .

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Urushi laquer

2010-02-08T00:08:00.000-08:00

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Laquer, Lacquer and Daruma

First some general remarks about laquer techniques.

Laquerware is created from the sap of the laquer tree for practical and artistic equipment we use in our daily lives. The advantage of laquer is its strong natural adhesive property and it is very easily processed into pieces. Traditionally many coatings of laquer are applied and after drying patterns are carved out of the laquer.

In my story about Kamakura-bori, Laquer from Kamakura,
I introduced the main techniques and some Daruma figures.

Read the full story here:
Kamakurabori 鎌倉彫り　＜＞　Kamakurabori -
Daruma and Kamakura Laquerware

More laquer stories in the Daruma Museum

Wakasa Daruma ― 若狭　だるま Laquer and achate stone

Chataku 茶托saucer for tea cup and Negoro Laquer ware, Negoro nuri 根来塗

. . . CLICK here for Photos of Laquer Daruma !

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quote
In a general sense, lacquer is a clear or coloured varnish that dries by solvent evaporation and often a curing process as well that produces a hard, durable finish, in any sheen level from ultra matte to high gloss and that can be further polished as required.

The term lacquer originates from the Portuguese word for lac, a type of resin excreted from certain insects. Regardless, in modern usage, lac-based varnishes are referred to as shellac, while lacquer refers to other polymers dissolved in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as nitrocellulose, and later acrylic compounds dissolved in lacquer thinner, a mixture of several solvents typically containing butyl acetate and xylene or toluene.
While both lacquer and shellac are traditional finishes, lacquer is more durable than shellac.

Japanning
Just as "China" is a common name for Chinese ceramic, "Japan" is an old name for Japanese Lacquerware (made from the sap of the Lacquer Tree) and its European imitations.
As Asian and Indian lacquer work became popular in England, France, the Netherlands, and Spain in the 17th century the Europeans developed imitations that were effectively a different technique of lacquering. The European technique, which is used on furniture and other objects, uses varnishes that have a resin base similar to shellac.

The technique, which became known as japanning, involves applying several coats of varnish which are each heat-dried and polished. In the 18th Century this type of lacquering gained a large popular following. In the 19th and 20th Centuries this lacquering technique evolved into the handicraft of decoupage.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Start from HERE

. My PHOTO ALBUM
Laquer Daruma

A laquer plate called "Daruma Plate"
Used to serve sweet Japanese cakes for the Tea Ceremony.
(my album 15)

Seated Daruma, wood with a laquer coating.
Ichiban Antiques.
(my album 16/17)
A very vibrant wooden carving of the Boddhidharma - also known as Daruma - this one carved from a heavy wood and then quite heavily lacquered in a dry lacquer technique in dark red lacquer. There are traces of old gilt designs on the robes and his face has a lot of gold lacquer or gilt still in place - now reddish from age. Based on
the patina and the slight dulling of the red lacquer, we believe this piece dates from the late Meiji to Taisho period.
trocadero.com/ICHIBAN/

A Tray with four Dishes
Unusual Japanese red lacquer tray and four small dishes in the shape of Daruma. Ca. 1900. The tray represents the hooded Daruma enveloped in his robe. His face and the suggestion of his robe have been deeply carved, and his high relief eyes are piercing. The four small plates represent a slightly different pose of Daruma, also
enveloped in his robe, and they are hand carved to show facial and robe details. As you can see from the photos, each face is slightly different. The backs of all five pieces are covered in black lacquer, and the remnants of an old paper label can be found on each piece.
(my Album 17, 18, 19, 20

Mini-Geta, Sandals of Kamakura Lacquer
They are to be ordered online for 2000 Yen.
(my album 21,22)
Daruma san in this item, really, trampling on his face!
http://www.gendaiya.co.jp/minigeta.htm

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Collection of my Daruma Museum

Now let us look at the other Daruma of Lacquer in my collection of the PHOTO ALBUM.

01
is my first Daruma acquisition ever, read about him here. We go quite a while together.

Who is Daruma ?

On picture 03 you can see him with some friends sitting in my office, always watching, always ready for a joke, always seriously happy!

O8
shows a small tray used in a temple to put on a flower vase (kadai).
It is made of wood with Washuuzan-Laquer from Okayama prefecture.

09
is a small bowl for soup. Probably red Negoro lacquer.

23
shows two boxes, Father and Son (oyako) as I call them. Red Lacquer with gilt painting. The bigger one might have been used to store some lunch.

24

a box of about 35 cm diameter, wood with a black laquer coating.
These kinds of boxes (cha-bako) are used to keep the tea utensils in, ready for use any time.

25
is a very special plate of black laquer with metal inlay of various patterns of a Japanese festival in Kyoto. The diameter is 12 cm.

. My Photo Album
Laquer Daruma 　　

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oouchi laquer dolls 大内塗

. Ouchi Ningyo 大内人形 Laquer Dolls from Yamaguchi 　

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. . . . . Urushi no ki 漆　うるし　＜＞ Lacquer Tree

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Uzawa Shogetsu　鵜沢松月

He was a disciple of the famous
Shirayama Shosai 白山松哉 (Shirayama Shoosai)
1853 - 1923

Uzawa Shogetsu, Collections Baur
Jan Dees,　1986
Designs produced by the Japanese lacquer Master Uzawa Shogetsu seem to grow out of smooth surfaces of the perfectly finished lacquer boxes and other items he produced. Shogetsu’s (probably 1877 - ?) specialty were subtly shaded lacquer (maki-e) decorations, painted in meticulous details.
With 26 items, the majority of works of this little known master is found today in the Collections Baur. Some of the objects were especially made to order for the collector Alfred Baur (1866 - 1951), who bought as many of Shogetsu’s objects as were available. As a consequence of Baur’s passion for this artist’s work, Shogetsu is comparatively unknown in Japan today.
Various Tables, Glossary, and Notes.
source : www.trocadero.com

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. Shibata Zeshin 柴田是真 .
March 15, 1807 – July 13, 1891

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some technical terms

hiramaki-e　　平蒔絵　flat-sprinkled design
jigaki 地書き　fine line drawing
kirigane 切り金 cut patterns from gold or silver foil
takamaki-e 高蒔絵　relief-sprinkled design
togidashi 研ぎ出し　finishing by polishing
tsutsu 筒　sprinkling rod

The various steps:
① shita-e下絵　② okime 置き目　③　jigaki地書き　④ shitamaki 下蒔き　⑤ shitamaki toki 下蒔き研ぎ ⑥ takaage 高上げ ⑦ takatogi 高研ぎ ⑧ kinmaki 金蒔き　⑨ kinpun katame 金粉固め　⑩ kinpun togi 金粉研ぎ　⑪　suri-urushi 摺り漆　⑫　migaki 磨き

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山家漆器店 Laquer from Yamaga, Wakayama
source : Yamaga on FB

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Fude pen

2010-02-07T17:17:00.000-08:00

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Pen 筆 Fude and Daruma

Fude Daruma 筆だるま
Daruma Fude だるま筆

Fude Daruma 筆だるま
Daruma with paintings of a pen on his belly

source : ichikawashop.com

This is a talisman doll for people to start making a career as calligraphers.

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Daruma Fude だるま筆　pen called "Daruma"

The pens with a big belly for fat letters are DARUMA.

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Kokeshi wooden dolls in the form of a pen

More kokeshi on a pen

Photos from my friend Ishino　　

. Kokeshi, Wooden Dolls こけし　

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Daruma with a pen for a beard
kanban for a pen shop
Daruma Museum

. Kanban, Shop Signs, 看板 with Daruma

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Kumano Fude Matsuri 筆まつり（ふでまつり）
brush festival
Hiroshima prefecture, Kumano Town 熊野町

Fude Kuyo　筆供養 "memorial service for brushes"

Kumano is the greatest producer of brushes in Japan, more than 80% are made here. On the yearly event more than 1000 used brushes from professional writers are burned in a memorial sercice at the shrine Kitano Tenjin sha.
There is a stone arrangement with the "brush burning flame of eternity" and a lot of brushes hang in the compound between the trees.
During the festival people use large brushes to write their favorite calligraphy and demonstrations are held.

. . . CLICK here for Photos !

This kind of service is also held at other temples and Tenmangu shrines of Japan.
道明寺天満宮筆まつり

. Reference

In Kumano they celebrate
haru no fude no hi 春の筆の日 Day of the Brush in spring
day of the spring equinox

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. Hiroshima Prefecture Festivals 　

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ningyoofude, ningyoo fude 人形筆 pen dolls

from Airma onsen 有馬温泉 Arima hot spring

Arima is one of the oldest hot springs in Japan, even Hideyoshi used to come there.
The dolls also have a long history and are mentioned already in a travel book of 1682. There used to be five families producing them till the Taisho period, but now only one has remained.

The body of the pen is decorated with colorful silk thread in various patterns. Some of the patterns have auspicious meanings to ward off evil. Some patterns are suited as a present, for example for a wedding.

On the end of the bamboo shaft it a little doll, sometimes resembling a Daruma san, which pops out and seems to dance when using the pen for writing. When the pen is laid on the table, the doll disappears. This is a kind of "mechanical doll" (karakuri ningyoo).

. Folk Toys from Hyogo .

有馬には人形筆の初しぐれ　　
Arima ni wa ningyoo fude no hatsu shigure

at Arima
there is the first sleet　　
on the pen dolls　

Suzuki Isuzu 鈴木五鈴
source :　karasuyama

Arima fude 有馬筆 pens from Arima
komochi fude 子持ち筆 pens with a child

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HAIKU and SENRYU

humanity kigo for the New Year

fude hajime 筆始（ふではじめ）first use of the brush
..... shihitsu 試筆（しひつ）, shigoo 試毫（しごう）
shikan 試簡（しかん）, shimen 試免（しめん）
shiei 試穎（しえい）, shiko 試觚（しこ）
shishun 試春（ししゅん）"first calligraphy in spring"

hatsu suzuri 初硯（はつすずり）first use of the ink stone

. Calligraphy and Kigo 　

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taking the brush
365 days
first calligraphy

Gabi Greve

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fude nagete tsuki ni mono iu bakari nari

I throw my brush away -
from now on I speak only
to the moon

. Koha (Kooha)　香波

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Kakebotoke votive plaques

2010-02-05T23:48:00.000-08:00

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Kakebotoke - Votive Plaques and Daruma 懸仏と達磨

CLICK for more photos !

"Kakebotoke" simply means "Hanging Buddha"
and refers to a plaque hanging on the wall. It can also be written 懸け仏 in Japanese. Sometimes it is translated as "Hanging Disc", since it is mostly round in shape.

The votive plaque occupies a peculiar position among religious art objects because it was produced in this form only in Japan and developed in a unique way. This came into existence after the practice of enshrining Buddhist and Shintoist deities under the same roof started. The principal subject of the votive plaque were Buddhist figures (kakebotoke 懸仏); the round plaques were about 40 cm in diameter and generally hung inside a temple or a shrine. It was first called Mishootai (御神体) or the "true form of the deity", and the use of the word "Kakebotoke" seems to have started in the early Meiji period.

Votive plaques are classified in three types:
1) Round metal plates provided with one or two hooks by means of which they were suspended and on the surface of which a Buddhist figure, very often Kannon Bosatsu or Dainichi Nyorai, was engraved.
2) Round metal plates with a figure embossed, usually with an inscription of the maker and the donor on the back side.
3) Round metal plates, usually copper with gilt or silver, to which an embossed Buddhistic figure was attached.

The origin of the votive plaque seems to have been closely related to the custom in which the actual Buddhist image was reflected in a mirror. This custom was initiated by Emperor Monmu (reign 697-707) upon a suggestion in his dream by a priest, although he had planned to build a Buddhist statue.
Read a learned essay about this subject in the middle of the following HP.
http://www.tobunken.go.jp/~bijutsu/english/biken/abstract/70.html

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Kakebotoke
were also put up in front of a tabernakel with a secret Buddha statue (hibutsu 秘仏), which was not to be shown to the public. The votive plaques with a copy of the secret Buddha statue, sometimes up to 50 cm in diameter, became the object of veneration. Since they were stolen quite often they were later hung up high in the inner sanctuary (naijin 内陣) to prevent theft.

The custom of reflecting a Buddhist statue in a mirror for a special ritual is still alive today.

Here is a mysterious story I heared in a temple in Kamakura:

For special exorcistic rituals of esoteric Buddhism heated oil is poured over a Buddha statue. The statue in question was a secret statue, so the Kakebotoke substitue had to be used. Since the Kakebotoke statue of this temple had just been newly made and was quite pretty, the priest wanted to spare it this fate. He decided to reflect the statue in a mirror and poor the heated oil over the mirror. It seems the Gods accepted this sacrificial offer of a substitute with another substitute and peace returned to the poor soul for which the ritual was performed.

You want to know why this ritual had to be performed? Well, that brings us into the realm of the Ghost Stories of Lafcardio Hearn (Kwaidan, 怪談), but here it is:

During the early Edo period, a young woman who lived in Kamakura close to this tempel had made a wish to the powerful god of this particluar temple to grant her a child. She soon gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, but died shortly after that. Since it is the custom to go back to the temple and thank the god for a granted favor (o-rei mairi お礼参り), she could not perform this ceremony and her poor soul was hanging in limbo for quite a while.

Just after World War II another woman, Mrs. K. who lived close to the temple, started to have the same dream every night: A young woman appeared at her pillow, telling her the above story and asked her to have a ritual performed to pacify her soul. "If you help me, I will show my gratitude for your act!" the young woman promised. So, after consulting with the temple priest, the ritual to pacify the soul of the young mother was performed - with the hot oil on the mirror to substiture for the substitute, but the god was pacified anyway and the soul of the young woman could proceed to heaven. She appeared just one more time at the pillow of Mrs. K., thanked her again and promised to do something good for her.

Now, you ask, what good did she do for Mrs. K? That I cannot tell you here, but if you send me an Email, I might. After all, miracles happen even in our modern times.

. Gankake 願掛け wish-prayer, to make a wish .

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The Kakebotoke from the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

source :　www.clevelandart.org

This Kakebotoke was originally suspended by brightly colored cords from a wooden beam in a Buddhist worship hall of the late Heian period. Originally its polished bronze surface reflected the flickering light of oil and candle flames. But through the centuries of exposure to the elements and wax and oil smoke, the metal surface has acquired the rich blue-and-green patination of age and usage so admired by the Japanese. The seated figure of the universally benevolent deity, Kannon, sits on a lotus base surrounded by a double halo with flame patterns.
These elements have all been cut from a sheet of bronze and delicately hammered into shape using a wood mold. The surface of the deity's figure and the individual lotus petals have been incised and carefully tooled to provide detailing of form and three-dimensional modeling.
by .barnard.columbia.edu

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Kannon Bosatsu as Kakebotoke from the Heian period.
MIHO Museum.

source : www.miho.or.jp

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Daruma as Kakebotoke だるまの懸仏

Since Kakebotoke is originally just a hanging Buddhist figure, I take the liberty to add our Daruma san to this categorie. Most of the Daruma plaques are made of wood, now even of plastic, but they still serve the purpose of being worshipped in the hope for some favor in life. So let us have a look at some Darumas hanging on my wall.

The one on the left is of beatuifully shaped wood, almost triangular. On the sides it reads: Seven times Down, Eight times Up (七転八起). The plaque is 35 cm high and 70 cm wide.

This is a square plaque of black wood with two Darumas in the form of a papermachee Daruma. One of them is carrying a flywhisk. The plaque is 24 cm high and 32 cm wide.

　

This Daruma appears on an oval wooden plate and is very carefully carved and polished. It is 50 cm high and 35 cm wide.
　

This last one is a special gift from a friend, who made it of pottery after visiting my Daruma Hall. It is meant to hang at the door and greet the visitors. It is about 13 cm high and his face is quite individualistically formed.
　

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Me-ire painting eyes

2010-02-05T16:55:00.000-08:00

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Me-ire - Painting Eyes for Daruma
達磨の目入れ

Why are the eyes of a Daruma for Good Luck
(engi Daruma 縁起だるま) always white?

gankake Daruma　願掛けだるま　Daruma to make a wish

In the beginning, Daruma dolls always had eyes painted. But in the Kanto area around Tokyo, Daruma Dolls with white eyes were sold during the New Years markets. The person who bought it or the priest at the temple had to paint one eye and cast a wish and after the year was over and the wish had come true, the other eye was painted and the doll then burned in a consecrating bonfire at the temple at Years End.
You then got a new one for the New Year and the circle begun again.

But why did the Daruma dolls not have eyes?
When the priest Bodhidaruma sat in a cave for nine years meditating, he had to fight sleepiness. He thought: "Because I have eyes, my eyelids fall over them and I start snoozing." So in a bold act he cut off his eyelids to keep awake. (The eyelashes, which he had thrown away, took root and turned into the tea bush to give us this wonderful wakening beverage, as legend knows!)

Another explanation seems more realistic. If you paint eyes on a Daruma Doll it gets some facial expression and if you are not a good painter, it might look akward or evil. So to sell your piece, it is a lot easier not to paint the pupils and leave the blame of facial expression with the customer when he paints the eyes himself.

The next step then was to cast a wish while painting an eye, then burn it after service time was over and buy a new one - who says they did not have good business ideas in Old Edo?! Daruma Dolls were very popular and the habit of getting a new one every year has stayed with us, as we can see at the many Daruma Markets during the New Years Season.

. WHO is Daruma ? 　

mangan Daruma 満願だるま
Daruma after the fulfillment of a wish

. Gankake 願掛け wish-prayer, to make a wish .

. ganman no tai　(gamman)　願満の鯛　
sea bream after the fulfillment of a wish .
Saint Nichiren and the Tanjo-Ji temple in Chiba.

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One easy iconographical feature to discern a Daruma are his big eyes. We have already heared that he cut off his eyelids while meditating in front of a wall, because he thought that would prevent him from falling asleep. These big eyes of Daruma are his trade-mark, so to speak.
A Daruma without eyes or rather pupils (menashi Daruma, me-nashi Daruma 目無しだるま) is also called "Daruma to make a wish" (gankake Daruma 願掛けだるま).
. . . CLICK here for Photos for a Daruma without eyes!

It is usually a tumbler doll made out of papermachee according to the local traditions that are still alive now.
You buy a Daruma without pupils during the New Year celebrations and paint the left eye of Daruma while making your wish. Then you put him up at the Buddhist or Shinto altar in your home. At the end of the year, when the wish has come true, you paint the right eye of Daruma, while giving thanks, then carry Daruma to a temple to have it burned in a holy fire and buy a new one for the next year, and so on and so on.

According to Mr. Kido, the selling of Daruma dolls with eyes started around 1764. During that period, many children suffered of smallpox, which is especially dangerous for the eyes. A Daruma was then used at a talisman to protect from this eye affliction. Since a Daruma with no eyes painted has no special facial expression, the dealers soon sold Daruma dolls with no pupils painted and urged the customers to paint one pupil first and the second after they got better. This custom may have started around 1772. But with the vaccination against smallpox in the beginning of the Meiji period the use of eyeless Daruma as protector for the eyes also disappeared, or rather it changed to other departments of good luck in life.

Akai ... 赤いRed Hoosoo 疱瘡　
..Smallpox, Red and Daruma

The story of Daruma dolls is also closely linked to the production of silk and raising silkworms. During the first casting off the skin of the silkworm in spring (harugo), the fist (left) eye of Daruma is painted with the wish that they have many good moltings and grow big and fat. When the silkworms start spinning their cocoons in autumn (akigo) the second eye is painted.

In Takasaki at the famous Daruma temple Shoorin-zan 少林山 you have the eyes painted by the priest. In this case it is the left eye of Daruma.
Most other temples follow this rule. 　

In Ogaki town, Gifu prefecture there is also the custom to start with the right eye of Daruma, since the right side generally is considered of higher rank than the left. Some politicians also start with the right eye of Daruma.

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There are of course other explanations.

The Buddhist or Shinto home altar common even now in a household is usually facing South. If you want to put your Daruma for Good Luck on this shelf to pray to it during the year, you put up Daruma with the back to the north and paint the first eye, facing east, to start the day and the New Year.
Then Daruma can watch over you during the day/year and in the evening the second eye (facing west) is painted. That makes a lot of sense to me. The equation of space and time as being one is very well represented in the statues of the 12 Heavenly Generals (juuni shinshoo 十二神将 ), which each represent 2 hours of the day and one of the 12 regions of the compass at the same time.

. Twelve Heavenly Generals 十二神将　
juuni shinshoo 　

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If you sit back for a while and meditate about time, usually the idea of the past comes up from behind and your left, while the future is projected into the space before you and to your right.
In the temple Jindai-ji the eyes of Daruma are painted in the form of the first and last syllabel of the Sanskrit alphabet (bonji, shuji) , representing the Beginning and End, the course of time in the eyes of Daruma. Of course if you meditate longer, you come to the point to realize that there is NO past and future, but only this very moment, but that is a different problem altogether. Maybe that is another lesson we can learn from a Daruma without eyes. By the way, many Buddha statues are depicted with eyes half closed (hangan) so as to see through time and space, past and future, here and there and all the dualistic concepts we build up in this world.

Jindai-ji Temple and the Sanskrit ajikan meditation 阿字観

. A-UN, the alpha and omega and Buddha statues 　

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Some people also believe, if you paint both eyes for Daruma at the same time, he has more power to watch over you and make your wish come true. But as one priest explained to me:

"You can make a wish and put up a Daruma,
but you yourself have to work towards the fulfillment and make a big effort, otherwise nothing will change in your life!
Daruma can only remind you at this
every day you pray to him."
If your wish is too unrealistic to come true, even Daruma cannot help you, so be careful about the things to wish.

But how long should we wait until the wish is fulfilled? Until the next New Year? After the Election? After getting well from a disease? Usually the New Year is the time to bring the Daruma back to the temple or shirne, but some people prefer to keep him as a memento and put him up at a shelf. Some carry him back after the election is lost.
So basically you can do as you please.

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Here is one more story to explain why, by Mr. Minegishi.

In the Genroku period the priest Shunkai Zenji of the temple Kokubun-ji in Nagano prefecture was suffering from an eye disease. He had a statue from a carver in Kyoto of a Daruma with no eyes, so he prayed to this statue for healing. Well, what do you know, his eyes got better and soon after he was completely healed he performed a ceremony to paint the eyes for his Daruma (kaigan shiki 開眼式). The people who heared this story started praying to Daruma figures with no eyes, made of local clay, and soon the temple was famous for healing eye diseases. People who were healed brought their Daruma to the temple to be stored in a special hall.

But let us be franc, does it really matter?
As long as the person who gets the Daruma is happy with the result, he can paint the first eye in his favorite direction. What is important is to tell Daruma while you paint: "If you work hard for me and my wish comes true, I will paint your second eye." But there are also folks who paint both eyes at the same time, telling Daruma "Well, I give you both eyes now, so you can work even better for me!" What matters is the sincerity and intensity of your wish, not the location of the eyes.

"Paint the eye as it pleases you most to make your wish come true and work yourself hard to make it happen!" is maybe the best advise we can give to people who turn to a Daruma for good luck.

me ga deru 目が出る

In Japanese there is a saying "to have good luck" "Me ga deta" (the eyes come out, meaning to have the higher number in a game of dice), or a play with words like "Congratulatory" “ME-DE-tai” (eyes coming out), so the eyes are important symbols for winning good luck. There are some Daruma figures, especially little talismans you buy at a temple or shrine, where the eyes pop out to invoke this saying. Here is one you can even order online at the shrine Tenman-gu in Kobe.

Me Dashi Daruma ... 目だしダルマ
Daruma with protruding eyes. Me ga deru, to have good luck!

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A Belgian company about emotional intelligence, time management and self-discipline uses a Daruma for its advertising campaign.
FROM a Daruma with one eye TO a Daruma with both eyes.

The Daruma doll from Japan is a visual aid to help achieve results. The pupils have to be added to the whites of the eyes one at the time. The first one when a goal is set, the second one on its achievement. The idea is that the unseeing eye will remind you that the goal has not been reached and so prompt you to take action.
The Daruma doll is used in the Time Manager to remind you of your goals - thus to:
Translate your thoughts into action!

Time Manager Daruma Doll

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Kaigan Kuyo Ceremony 開眼

When making a Buddha statue, the most important part are the eyes, which are usually done last and sometimes a big celebration is connected with this event. Maybe the biggest of them all was the great ceremony held for the Big Buddha at the Todai-ji in Nara in the year 752, where the Indian priest Bodaisenna performed the rites of painting the eyes and music and delegations from all over Buddhist Asia were present.

天平勝宝４年（752年）、大仏の目に筆で瞳を描いて魂を迎え入れる儀式－「大仏開眼供養会」－が行われました。開眼の導師を勤めたのはインドの僧侶、波羅門僧正・菩提僊那（ぼだいせんな）です。

東大寺大仏開眼１２５０年慶讃大法要
Todai-Ji Kaigan Kuyo Ceremony

. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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Tibetan Daruma-Buddha

Talking about the eyes of Buddha statues, the Great Eyes of some stupas in Nepal come to mind. The eyes of the stupa of Swayambunath are overlooking the town of Katmandu, whereas the stupa of Bodnath is situated in a natural mandala in the middle of the valley and the huge eyes seem to see anything that is going on in the area.

. Tibetan Daruma 　

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. The fiery eyes of Daruma
and more variations on Japanese Curry.

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Not only Daruma helps to make a wish, there are other amulets too.

gankake omamori 願掛け守り amulet to make a wish

. Gankake 願掛け wish-prayer, to make a wish .

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Aoi Me no Daruma　青い目の達磨　＜＞ Blue Eyes of Daruma
.... Eye-opening Ceremonies for Buddhastatues

Hisshoo Daruma 必勝ダルマ to win an election
(Hissho Daruma, Certain Victory)
Politicians painting eyes for Daruma

Yen Eyes, Dollar Eyes Papermachee Daruma Dolls

Daruma Museum

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Kamakurabori

2010-02-04T23:49:00.000-08:00

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Kamakurabori - Daruma and Laquerware
鎌倉彫り ― 漆の散歩



Carved laquer objects made in Kamakura

First some general remarks about laquer techniques.

Laquerware is created from the sap of the laquer tree for practical and artistic equipment we use in our daily lives. The advantage of laquer is its strong natural adhesive property and it is very easily processed into pieces. Traditionally many coatings of laquer are applied and after drying patterns are carved out of the laquer. With Kamakurabori the process is the opposite. First the wood is carved and then only a few coatings are used to cover it. In this way the normally expensive laquer pieces could be produced at a more affordable level for every-day use objects.

The coating with laquer not only helps create beautiful pieces, but it also has the following advantages:

　 1. Preserves products from decomposition.
　 2. Keeps beautiful sheen and luster forever.
　 3. Provides soft and warm feeling when touched. This is important when you
　　 use laquerware for eating tools.
　 4. Anti-acidity, anti-alkaline and anti-electric properties and a great
　　 endurance against wear and tear.
　 5. The coating can be applied to almost anything, wood, iron, paper, leather.
　 6. It is easy to add other decorations after laquer coating.

Here are some forms of decoration:
Pictures painted or inlayed in laquer　漆絵（Urushi-e）
Pictures with sprincled powder of gold, silver or other materials　薪絵（Maki-e）
Gold or silver inlay in scratch marks of urushi 沈金（Chinkin）沈銀（Chingin）
Inlay of shells　螺鈿（Raden）

from the Fenolossa Cyber Museum.
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Kamakurabori
is a specialty of the city of Kamakura. It's a combination of woodcarving and lacquer-work. Designs are carved in wood and then coated many times with red and black lacquer. The carving technique dates from the 13th century and originates from Buddhist statue sculptors. Their technique was succeeded from one generation to another. The present owner of the store Hakkoodoo in Kamakura for example is the 28th direct descendant of the founder of the Goto Buddhist-statue sculptor family.

As Kamakura began to wane in importance in the 15th century, demand for statue carving dropped. The artists found a niche in the area of utensils such as trays used domestically in the kitchen, and today, Kamakurabori is a special product of the city.

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Kamakura-bori ... further reference

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Walking in Kamakura　鎌倉散歩

Since Kamakura is easily reached by Yokosuka Line from Tokyo it is a good place for a daytrip. I lived in Kamakura for more than 15 years before moving to Okayama prefecture, so I will introduce you to some of my favorite spots.　
First the "Coin-Washing" Zeniarai Benten 銭洗弁天. zeniarai Benten

According to legend, the Shrine dates from the era of Yoritomo Minamoto (1147-1199), the founder of the Kamakura Shogunate. One night after a series of battles, an old man appeared in his dream and said, "I am the god of Ugajin. There is a spring in the gorge located in the northwest direction of Kamakura. Go find it and worship Ugajin with the spring water. People may start to have faith in the god and peace will be restored." It was the day of the Serpent, the month of the Serpent in 1185, the year of Serpent on lunar calendar based on twelve zodiac signs.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Believe me, I have washed a lot of coins there and it seems to have helped a little!

Inari 稲荷　＜＞　The Fox God Cult Kitsune, the animal fox.

One of my favorites is the temple Kakuon-ji, 覚園寺 hidden in the back of a valley and coming to live every year at August 10 for the midnight festival of the Black Jizo Bosatsu (kurojizoo 黒地蔵). 　　
August 10 every year is the day to venerate this Black Jizo Bosatsu. A religious service for him starts at twelve midnight with gongs and bells, attended by a number of Shingon sect priests chanting Han'nya shingyoo, or Prajna-paramita sutra.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

If you find time it is well worth a visit. From the big statue of Yakushi Nyorai in the Main Hall there is a long five-colored cord through the hall and outside in the garden, where it is hanging from a large pole, so you can get in direct TOUCH with this Healing Buddha. The hall is lit by candles and all seems far removed from time and space. Visitig the Cave with 13 Buddhas you get almost choked by the smoke of so many candles and have a real foretaste of hell.
There are not many chances these days to "experience" a Buddha statue in its original setting made for veneration and lit by candles. To spend a long mysterious summer night here in these otherwise quiet temple grounds shows you a glimpse of OLD KAMAKURA, better than the fireworks at the sea two days later.

KAMAKURA ... further reference

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Daruma of Kamakurabori

Here is a Bolotie holder of my collection. It is only 3.5 cm large. I bought it many years ago and it was quite expensive already then.
これは達磨さんがボーロネクタイ・ホールダになる作品です。

looptie ループタイ　Daruma on a looptie holder

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Next we have a small netsuke of 4.5 cm. This Daruma looks almost like the Daibutsu, the Big Buddha of Kamakura. From his painstakenly carved eyebrows you can see it is Daruma san.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

And finally one more piece of laquer, but this may be Negoro laquer. This one is very special. It is a box where you put your cloths after undressing in the evening or for the daily bath (midarekago). I can well imagine the headpriest of some Kamakura temple having this made to order and use it daily to remind himself of the spirit of Zen in daily life. This box is 70 cm long and 48 cm wide. Inside is a carving of Daruma standing on a rush leaf (royoo Daruma).

Rush-Leaf Daruma (royoo) 芦葉達磨 Daruma on a reed

. My PHOTO ALBUM
Laquer Daruma Figures 　　

Urushi no ki 漆　うるし　＜＞ Lacquer Tree

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... Kamakura, my Haiku Town in Japan

Daruma Museum

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Jindai-ji Temple

2010-02-02T23:19:00.000-08:00

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Temple Jindai-ji - - A Daruma Market and Sanskrit

深大寺の達磨市と梵字

. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Daruma from Temple Jindai-ji in Mitaka, a suburb of Tokyo.

On the belly we have the Chinese characters representing the name of "Ganzan Daishi" 元三大師. This is another name for the famous 18th head priest of the monastic center at Mount Hiei, Jie Daishi 慈恵大師 of the Tendai sect. Because he was born on the third of January in 985, he got this name. He had great spiritual power in warding off evil in daily life and many stories of his deeds are handed down to us.
He is also called "Master Warding Off Evil" (mayoke daishi 魔除大師、gooma daishi 降魔大師).

There was a statue of Ganzan Daishi in the temple Jidai-ji, but in the Muromachi period there was a great fire and only this statue was saved, since it flew all by itself into the nearby pond 五大尊池. This episode even strengthened the belief of the people in the supernatural powers of this great master, which is alive until our days. The unification of this Great Master and Daruma san to ward off evil should have a double effect on your good luck, so on the yearly temple festival on Marach 3 and 4 there is a big Daruma market in the temple grounds, where you can buy all kinds of good-luck Daruma dolls.

You can ask a priest to paint in the left eye, in this case not the round pupil but the first syllable of Sanskrit A ｢阿｣ to indicate the beginning of your good-luck period. When the wish is fullfilled, you have the syllable UN ｢吽｣, the last syllable of the Sanskrit alphabet painted in the right eye. A is the first sound pronounced while opening your mouth, it is the origin of all sounds and represents the origin of all life, the woumb. UN is the last sound when closing your mouth. (A-UN is the Japanese pronunciation; usually we know this sound as the holy mantram OM or AUM.) In this way at Jindai-ji you have a reliable means to reinforce Daruma san's already salutary properties.

We find these symbols of open and closed mouth also for example in the pair of lion-dogs (koma-inu 狛犬) sitting on both sides of the entrance to a shrine or temple, warding off any evil spirits. A can also be interpreted as the entrance to life and UN the entrance to death.

In esoteric Buddhism there is also a tradition to meditate on a hanging scroll of this syllable as the symbol for Buddha, called "Visualisation of the Syllable A" (ajikan 阿字観), which we will study a little more further down this story.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

The Sanskrit letter A

In the Daruma rendering of Jindai-ji we can feel the history of Daruma coming from India, going through many changes on the way and now through the painting of the eyes being the condensed symobl of the people's wish for long life, happiness, warding off evil and getting benefits in this world.
By the way, there is one more temple in the Kanto area where Ganzan Daishi is revered and an annual Daruma market is held, the Kita-In of Kawagoe 川越の喜多院.

. Kawagoe Daruma 川越だるま神輿

According to Prof. McFarland, we can also learn this about Jindai-ji temple.
The Daruma market at Jindai-ji is held in March, closer to the traditional New Year of the Chinese lunar calendar and the beginning of spring. So this event is also called the "inviting of spring" (haru o yobu 春を呼ぶ), as the saying goes:
"In Tokyo spring follows the Jindai-ji Daruma market." Normally the Daruma markets are held on the first three days of the new year in January, to get your good luck for the rest of the year.

The Temple Jindai-ji　深大寺
The temple Jindai-ji is one of the oldest in Tokyo, coming right after the famous Kannon temple in Asakusa and is well known for its Daruma market. After a visit to the temple you can enjoy a meal of buckwheat noodles, another speciality of this area. The main deity enshrined in this temple is Amida Nyorai.
東京では浅草寺についで古い歴史を持つ寺で、春のだるま市は大変賑わう。門前町はほとんどが深大寺そばを食べさせる店である。

There is the beatuiful old entrance gate with many stickers from the pilgrims over the years. You can also see the bronze gong called "Crocodile Mouth" (waniguchi 鰐口).
http://www.jindaiji.co.jp/jindaiji.html

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

The temple sells of course a lot of talismans and auspicious votive pictures connected with Ganzan Daishi and Daruma Daishi.
元三大師降魔札だるま絵馬

A New Year arrow for good luck (hamaya 深大寺の破魔矢)

There is also a special beer with the name of the temple. Try it on the way home.
深大寺ビールもありますよ。ご参拝の後にぜひ試してね。
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

The annual Daruma market at Jindai-ji on March 3/4 　三月の達磨市
Some dealers still carry their Daruma dolls in baskets of woven bamboo in the oldfashioned way.
. . . CLICK here for Photos f the daruma market!

After you buy a Daruma, the priest fills in the eye for you, as we have learned.
ご住職が目をいれてくれます。

Jindai-ji also features a Pet Cemetery.　動物の墓地

There is a special Kannon Statue for the Animals
(choojuu Kannon 鳥獣観音)
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
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akagoma, akai koma 赤駒 red horse

赤駒を山野に放し捕りかにて
多摩の横山徒歩ゆか遣らむ
akagoma o sanya ni hanashi torikanite
Tama no yokoyama kachiyukayaramu

A red horse has been released into the fields and has run away.
Am I going to lose my husband in the wilderness of Tama.

There is already a poem about this horse in the Manyo-Shu poetry collection　from 759.
It is about a loving wife who had to let her husband go to war in far-away Kyushu and wished to have him back safely.

An amulet you buy for someone you love, to wish him/her well.
Some stores near the temple started to make this simple straw horse by hand, one by one even now since 1997, but before that it had been out of making for a while.

. Horse Amulets of Japan .

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The Sanskrit Alphabet 梵字、種字

One of the specialities of this temple is the painting of Sanskrit letters in the eyes of Daruma. The use of Sanskrit syllables is especially common in esoteric Buddhism. After all Buddhism came from India and Sanskrit is the old written language of this area. The Greek alphabet starts with ALPHA and ends with OMEGA whereas the Sanskrit uses A and UN or OM, as we have seen.
In esoteric Buddhism every Buddha or deity is represented by one or more syllables of this Sanskrit alphabet. These important syllables are also called "Seed Syllables"(shuji 種字). There are special Mandalas where the deities are represented only by these letters, each one on a little lotus flower.

. Seed sylable mandala 種字　曼陀羅

Let us have a closer look at the eyes of Daruma and the two chracters written in them.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
On the following HP you can find the seed syllables for every deity. This is a very useful dictionary, even if you do not read Japanese. Click on any of the names to find the according syllables.
梵字学典と種字の説明の便利なHPです。見たいものをclickして下さい。釈迦三尊　阿弥陀三尊　薬師三尊　不動三尊　大日三尊　四天王　五大尊　五如来　胎蔵界五仏　金剛界五仏　六地蔵　胎蔵界中台八葉院　九曜星　法華曼荼羅　
http://www.tctv.ne.jp/tobifudo/bonzisyo/bindex.html

For example here is the page for the Wisdom King Fudo Myo-O, one of my favorite deities.
http://www.tctv.ne.jp/tobifudo/butuzo/13butu/fudo.html

A-UN representing the beginning and end of all things-maybe the best rendering of this idea is found in the two huge figures of Nioo-Guardians at the entrance of the temple Todai-ji in Nara.
東大寺の仁王門の阿吽仏像がそのアイディアをよく強調しているかもしれない。

. Nio, Deva Kings 仁王 (Nioo, Nio) A-Un 阿形吽形

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The Ajikan Visualisation 　阿字観

This is a special method of meditation found in esoteric Buddhism. You sit in front of a scroll with a Sanscrit letter in a circle, usually the letter A, and meditate on its meaning. Since each deity has its own letter, you can use others too.
http://www.shingon.or.jp/ajikan.htm

Here are the three syllables for the Buddhas Dainichi, Fudoo and Aizen.

Chookyuuji, Temple Chokyu-Ji 長久寺三尊（大日・不動・愛染）

Esoteric Buddhism and the founder of Zen, Daruma Daishi,
in happy coexistence at this temple of Tendai Esoteric Buddhism
- what can we learn from this?

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December 8 - 13, 2011
Exhibition at Temple Jindai-Ji to help Tohoku

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H A I K U

observance kigo for the New Year

Ganzan Daishi-E 元三大師会 Ceremony for Ganzan
January 28.

At night with only candles.

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いつも来る綿虫のころ深大寺
itsumo kuru watamushi no koro Jindai-Ji

I always come here
when the cotton flies are out ...
temple Jindai-Ji

Ishida Hakyoo, Ishida Hakyo 石田波郷 (1913-69)
His grave is in the precincts of this temple.

More haiku about temple Jindai-Ji

きさらぎの蓬を焚けり深大寺宮岡計次
たか～と冬満月や深大寺角川春樹
みほとけの深大寺村栗を買ふ及川貞榧の實
三月やまづ水神の深大寺鈴木しげを
佛ゐぬまに鶏とそばくふ深大寺中勘助
元日のすみれ咲きをり深大寺鈴木しげを
先生の見てゐる落葉掃きにけり(深大寺) 細川加賀『生身魂』
半日の落葉を踏みぬ深大寺綾部仁喜樸簡
地の鴉木の鴉冬の深大寺殿村莵絲子雨月
地の鴉赦して冬の深大寺殿村莵絲子

山門に梅の添ふ頃深大寺三浦文恵
幾泉見て初詣深大寺皆吉爽雨泉声
新蕎麦に間のある風の深大寺秋篠光広
春めける深大寺絵図草のいろ長内艸骨
春惜しむ深大寺蕎麦一すすり皆吉爽雨
昼ごろは杉菜の長けて深大寺藤田あけ烏
木蓮の美しかりし深大寺角川春樹夢殿
松杉の秀は深大寺月のもと皆吉爽雨泉声
水引のひとすぢくもる墓前かな(深大寺) 岸田稚魚『萩供養』
波郷忌の深大寺道穢土浄土下村ひろし西陲集
泰山木に雪あつきかなまた雪に(二月二十八日深大寺に波郷埋骨) 角川源義『冬の虹』

深大寺ほとけおはすぞ馬に鞍中勘助
深大寺みち綿虫の大きかり大山さちを
深大寺丈余の切子ともりけり肥田埜勝美
深大寺五月幟や水ぐるま中勘助
深大寺旗垂れてゐる大暑かな谷古宇巧一
深大寺暮色俄かや齋のあと下村ひろし西陲集
深大寺無患子拾ふ十あまり柴崎忠雄
深大寺蕎麦が熱くて年の暮大嶽青児
深大寺蕎麦にあづかる年忘上田五千石琥珀
深大寺蕎麦を啜りて年賀かな星野麥丘人

炎天となるおん墓のうらおもて(深大寺) 細川加賀『傷痕』
田を植ゑて深大寺村しづかなり岩田昌寿地の塩
秋晴の彼も一人や深大寺星野麥丘人

source : HAIKUreikuDB

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般若心経 : Heart Sutra
written as a mandala with sanskrit letters
. Bonji Daruma 梵字だるま with sanskrit letters

. Hamaya 破魔矢 an arrow for the New Year

Me-ire - Painting Eyes for Daruma　達磨の目入れ Daruma and his EYES

. Amulet with 元三大師 Ganzan Daishi
.
tsuno daishi 角大師 Great Teacher with Horns
from temple Shitenno-Ji Osaka 四天王寺

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Daruma Days Book

2010-02-02T23:05:00.000-08:00

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Daruma Days:
a collection of fictionalized biography
Author: Watada, Terry, 1997
Historical fiction

Across a century of Japanese experience in Canada, these short stories link the lives of the issei, the first-generation of immigrants still bound to tradition and the belief in the supernatural, to the nisei, the second generation caught between the Old World and the New, and to the sansei, the current generation trying to make sense of the lives of their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.
Much of the context is the internment camps in British Columbia in the Second World War. In this setting, there is alienation, anger, bitterness and retribution, but also reconciliation and healing.
http://www.wiredforwords.com/featured_p_young.html

..... Books about Daruma だるまの本、大百科など

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Daruma Museum

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Goma aburi-ki

2010-02-02T19:57:00.000-08:00

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Sesame seed roasting pot 胡麻あぶり器
goma aburi-ki

Sesame is an important ingredient in Chinese cooking and used in many preparations. Since Chinese quisine is very popular in Japan too, sesame is used as cooking oil, as hot-spiced oil (ra-yu 辣油ラーユ) with chilli peppers or in many variations of black or white sesame seeds on the table to put on rice or in soup (iri-goma いり胡麻)。Freshly roasted sesame seeds are especially delicious, hence this seed roasting pot for home use.

Short information about the SESAME plant.
Sesamum indicum or orientale cultivated for its seeds since ancient times, found chiefly in the tropics of Africa and Asia. Sesame seeds, also called bennes or gingellies, are black or white and yield an oil that resists turning rancid. The oil (known also as teel oil) is used extensively in India for cooking, soap manufacture, food, and medicine and as an adulterant for olive oil. The seeds are also popularly added to cookies and other baked goods and are made into candy (e.g., benne cakes). Sesame was introduced by African slaves to the U.S. South, where it sometimes becomes a weed. The sesame was once credited with mystic powers. Sesame is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Serophulariales, family Pedaliaceae.
http://reference.allrefer.com/encyclopedia/S/sesame.html

This piece with a lovely humorous Daruma san is from the early Showa period.
昭和時代のだるまさん一品です。

This is a kind of hooroku pot for roasting things.

Photo from my friend Ishino.

Hooroku Jizo ほうろく地蔵

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Daruma Museum

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Katsu - Koan

2010-02-01T23:57:00.001-08:00

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Katsu !! - Koan and Daruma
喝と達磨さん―公案散歩

A koan is a riddle of sorts, put to a student of Zen by his master. There are many ways to tackle these problems, so I will show you some stories about the use of KATSU, also written KWATS　喝, as a means to help wake up the sleeping mind.

For the practical study of Zen, you must pass the barriers set up by the masters of Zen. The attainment of this mysterious illumination means cutting off the workings of the ordinary mind completely. If you have not done this and passed the barrier, you are a phantom among the undergrowth and weeds. Now what is this barrier? It is simply "Mu", the Barrier of the Gate of Zen and this is why it is called "The Gateless Barrier of the Zen Sect."

The following illustration shows the Chinese character MU 無, written with many small MU to make one big MU. MU is maybe the most wellknown koan.
無と言う考案は多分一番よく知られている考案です。無と言う小さい漢字を使いながら、無と言う大きな無を書きました。

MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU

Master Mumon 無門禅師
Mumon was born in 1183, towards the end of the Sung Dynasty, 960-1279. He went to see Getsurin, the seventh successor of Yogi, at Manjuji Temple. Getsurin, who was famous for his severity, gave him the koan of Mu to study. After six years, Mumon had still not solved his problem.....(text cut)
The next day, when Mumon went to his interview with Getsurin, he wanted to tell him about his vision, but Getsurin asked him, "Where did you see the god? Where did you see the Devil?" Mumon said "Kwatz!" Getsurin said "Kwatz!" and they kwatzed each other, ad infinitum, more or less.....

Mind is Buddha
This is a famous story about a KATSU that even shocked the great warlord Oda Nobunaga.

"Mind is Buddha" is the phrase for one who wants medicine while he has no disease. "No Mind, No Buddha" is given to those who have been cured of disease but still cling to medicine. A monk asked Baso, "Why do you teach that Mind is Buddha?" Baso replied, "To stop a baby's crying." The monk asked, " What is it like when the baby stops crying?" Baso answered, "No Mind, no Buddha."

In connection with "Mind is Buddha,"there is an interesting story in Nanbanji Kohai-ki (History of Nanbanji):

In the 16th century, a great religious debate was held at Nanbanji between Buddhists and a Portugese Catholic Father who was much favored by Oda Nobunaga, an influential feudal lord of that time. The Portugese Priest was a man of wide erudition and was familiar with the Buddhist Sutras. Representatives of various Buddhist schools were all debated down by his eloquence. Finally Zen Master In of Nanzenji in Kyoto was selected as the last debater. The Portugese Priest asked, "What is Buddha?" "Mind is Buddha" answered Master In. The Portugese Father now unsheathed a dagger, thrust it at Master In's chest, and demanded, "What is 'Mind is Buddha'?" Master In, not perturbed in the least, shouted: "KWATZ!"

The Portugese Priest fell into a swoon in spite of himself and the audience including Lord Nobunaga, all paled.
― from Zenkei Shibayama, Zen Comments on the Mumonkan (1974), p. 225
http://www.wisdomportal.com/Enlightenment/ZenMasterIn.html
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
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Calligraphy by Nantenbo
. Nantenboo 南天棒 Nantenbo (1839 - 1925) .

KATSU and therapeutic hitting by Rinzai Zenji
The master would not hesitate to strike the disciple physically to resolve the koan. Such resolution once had the monk slapping the master, Obaku, and yelling: "There is not, after all, much in the Buddhism of Obaku." Rinzai explains this idea of 'therapeutic hitting': "Many students are not free from the entanglement of objective things. I treat them right at the spot. If their trouble is due to grasping hands, I strike them there. If their trouble comes from their mouths, it is there I strike." Rinzai was also famous for shouting Katsu!, a nonsensical word, as an answer to koans.
http://www.lifepositive.com/Mind/arts/new-age-fiction/koan.asp

A Modern MU interpretation
The correct answer to the classic trick question "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?". Assuming that you have no wife or you have never beaten your wife, the answer "yes" is wrong because it implies that you used to beat your wife and then stopped, but "no" is worse because it suggests that you have one and are still beating her. According to various Discordians and Douglas Hofstadter the correct answer is usually "MU", a Japanese word alleged to mean "Your question cannot be answered because it depends on incorrect assumptions".
by www.sra.co.jp/

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

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Nakamaura sensei is probably the best-known scholar of Buddhism.

The Non-Logical Character of Zen: By Hajime Nakamura

Talking about Nakamura sensei, here is one more book I would like to introduce, if you are seriously interested in the comparative studies of Buddhism and its development in various Asian countries.
Nakamura, Hajime:
The Ways of Thinking of Eastern Peoples

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Master Gempo and the Silent Kwats
On this HP you can meet the wonderful Master Gempo and his way to live KATSU.
Please take the time and read the full article about Gempo Roshi. I am sure you will find something new and refreshing for your daily zazen practise.
　"I often read from the Rinzai Roku and many of you may think, "What is the significance of all those Kwatz?" A Kwatz is not necessarily a shout. There are silent Kwatz, smiling Kwatz, drinking Kwatz. Gempo Roshi was a master of all these. "
... www.daibosatsu.org

To Kwats or not to Kwats!
A master demanded of his disciple:"Show me the Ultimate!"
　"KWATZ!" responded the disciple.
The master shook his head.
"KWATZ!!!" the disciple tried again.
The master replied,
"Even if you Kwatz! for countless eons, you still won't get IT!"

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Checking about KATSU I also ended up in some restaurants called Daruma selling cutlet (pronounced "katsu" in Japanese) and food items.

. WASHOKU
tonkatsu 豚カツ cutlet from pork

Hamburger Cotelettes KATSU Daruma Food
合格祈願エビカツバーガー　to pass examinations

Kushikatsu Daruma ... 串カツ『だるま』
Restaurant in Osaka. Kushiyaki Food

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The sound of KATSU can be written with other Chinese characters too. Here is one more KATSU 勝, meaning to WIN, which we have found on the belly of Daruma dolls too. This store sells merchandise to Win.

Katsu Coaster

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When Daruma san is in the KATSU mode, as we might put it in modern speach, he stretches out his right arm, fist clenched holding his rosary, which is falling back on the arm with the force of the movement. The beard sometimes too seems to be standing on edge and the facial expression is full attention.

A large and very imposing Japanese lacquered hardwood carving of the seated Daruma with his clenched fist outstretched to repel demons. The body and head are carved as one, the outstretched arm is carved separately and attached to the main carving. The surface of the piece is covered with a lacquer finish. The effect is extremely strong, lively, and full of character.

There is also a clay bell with a KATSU Daruma with outstretched fist.

clay bell with KATSU Daruma from:
. Ninomiya Jinja 二宮神社 Shrine Ninomiya .
Kobe, Hyogo

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Now let us look at some Daruma of this kind in my collection.

TBA

My PHOTO ALBUM

My very own story about KATSU needs a German-English speaking person with a computer and a pet.

My Cat Haiku Kun

what does it take
to enlighten a mouse ?
a good KATZ !

what does it take
to write online haiku ?
a good mouse !

KOAN and Haiku (01) .. 公案と俳句
KOAN and Haiku (02) .. Dreams 夢
KOAN and Haiku (03) .. Original face and Immortality

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Jibun ni Katsu 自分に勝つ　！　to win against yourself

source :　s.webry.info

Daruma gives an interview after seeing a blue dragon in China:
「勝つ、勝つ、勝～つ！」

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Daruma Museum

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Katana (2) - Tsuba, Menuki

2010-02-01T23:55:00.000-08:00

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Katana (2) - Tsuba, Menuki, Daruma and the Sword
刀、鍔、目抜きとだるま― 武芸散歩

. Katana 日本刀 Sword (1) 　

In this story we will talk about the Japanese samurai sword first and then look at some special decorations featuring Daruma san.

The first Japanese sword may have come from the gods, as we saw in Part 1, but a more realistic version has it come from Mainland China and Korea to Japan. Swords from the Heian period to the Muromachi period are called "Old Swords" (kotoo, koto 古刀), from the first year of Keichoo (1596) we talk about the "New Sword" (shintoo, shinto 新刀) and during the later half of the Edo period the "New New Sword" (shinshintoo 新新刀) came to be known.

The older great sword (tachi 太刀) had been hung from the belt. The long sword (katana 刀) and a shorter companion sword (wakisashi 脇指), both stuck in a sash, as we can see on typical Samurai pictures, came into use during the Momoyama period. Fighting shools for one or two swords developed during the peaceful Edo period and the decorative parts of a sword, the guard (tsuba) and other hilt decorations (menuki) became more and more elaborate.
The most famous hero fighting with two swords is maybe Miyamoto Musashi, who will be subject of a yearlong TV series on NHK in 2003.
Musashi also painted Daruma san.
Reference : Kumamoto : Musashi

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You find all the knowledge about the Japanese Sword on this extensive HP in English.

For example the History of Swords.
A Glossary of Japanese Sword Terms.
A Museum full of famous Japanes swords.

And there is also our Empress Jinguu Koogoo with the War God Hachiman

source : www.sho-shin.com

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The Sword Guard 鍔 Tsuba 　

. Tsuba 鍔　 .

　
quote　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
The sword guard is a heavy metal disc attached between the hilt and the blade.
This part of a sword fitting has always been considered one of the most esteemed posessions of a samurai. During the Muromachi period and the Momoyama period feudal lords and powerful clans fought fierce battles against each other. Therefore the functionality of the sword guard was more important than its decoration. The Edo period brought an uninterrupted period of 256 years of peace to Japan. Now the Japanese sword guard rapidly developed into a refined piece of art.

The primary purposes of the guard are to balance the sword, prevent the hand from sliding down the blade and, as a last resort, to use it as a block against a thrust or slash. Thus the guard protected the hand of the samurai, but more important it was a reflection of himself, an expression of this thoughts and imagination. Simple open work in early pieces as well as lavish and intricate techniques often allow us only an idea of what the original owner was attempting to express. Intellectual principles, mostly with a deep religious background, have been woven into a group of artifacts, which illustrate as clearly as any other the cultural and sociological development of Japan throughout history.

The strong connection of Zen Buddhism with the way of the samurai makes Daruma san a suited object on the sword decorations.
The sword guard had patterns on both sides and some extra holes to permit the insertion of a utility knife (kozuka 小柄), a skewer (koogai 笄) to scratch the head under the helmet and chopsticks (waribashi 割り箸).
These items were called the "Three Things" (mitokoro mono 三所物).
source : ils.unc.edu

More online reference :
source : Reference

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from online auctions

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Here is a very useful introduction:

　　　Günther Heckmann - Tsuba
Nurtingen : H.U.B. Verlag, 1995

This book is composed of 143 colour plates with descriptions in English, German and Japanese. It also contains glossaries and indices in the same languages.
Mr. Heckmann has been a guest at my Paradise Hermitage (GokuRakuAn) in Okayama a few years ago. He restores laquer art items of Japan and other Asian countries.

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Sword Decorations　目抜きとほかの刀装飾道具 　　
　

. Menuki 目抜き　 .
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
Menuki are pairs of small metal ornaments, secured one to each side of the hilt of the sword by means of a braid that covers the hilt. They are functional, miniature works of art that portray a wide range of subjects. Their original purpose was to hold the peg that locks the blade and hilt together. Later their position was moved and their purpose was to allow a better grip on the handle. From the late Kamakura period onward, the menuki were placed on each side of the handle under the grasp of the fingers to prevent slipping.
Nowadays we even find menuki reworked to be used as cuff links in an American crosscultural version.

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What is the connection
between the sword and Daruma after all, you might ask again.

During the Edo period, many "WAYS" were developed, based on the principles of Zen and practised by the samurai, and "The Way of the Warrior" (Bushidoo) was of course one of them. One aspect of Bushidoo is "The Way of the Sword" (Kendoo) and the "Way of the Bow" (Kyuudoo). Part of the training of a young lord was to spend time in a Zen temple and meditate about Life and Death and the non-existence of Life and Death in order to prepare him not to fear anything that came along his way.
During my many years of practising with the bow in a Zen temple in Kamakura we usually started a training session with a meditation period. And if you read the concepts of modern Kendoo Federation, you find some of them quite close to Zen concepts. For example "to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself" is quite close to the pursuit of Enlightenment. Therefore I guess the appearance of Daruma on items connected with the sword were ment to remind the samurai of the most noble WAY of all.

The famous samurai Miyamoto Musashi even painted Daruma, as we have seen above.
source :　www.museum.pref.kumamoto

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From the collection of my friend George O Hawkins
Look at many more here:
source : Facebook album

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. Katana 日本刀 Sword (1) 　　

. Fuchi Kashira and Menuki Set
more about
TSUBA, the sword guard　　

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Katana (1) Sword

2010-02-01T23:54:00.000-08:00

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Katana (1) - Daruma and the Japanese Sword
日本刀とだるま― 武芸散歩

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A sword together with a mirror (yata no kagami) and a comma-shaped jade jewel (yasakani no magatama) is one of the three Imperial regalia of Japan.

The Imperial Sword of the Billowing Clouds.

"The sword Susanooh discovered in the tail of the slain eight-headed dragon (orochi) and gave to the gods was eventually given to Ninigi (great grandfather of Emperor Jinmu, the first Japanese emperor), a grandson of Amaterasu the sun goddess, when he came down to earth. The sword is one of the three divine articles that are part of the Japanese Imperial regalia, but it was lost in the 12th century. The sword's name is "Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi" (sword of heavenly gathering of clouds), and it is also known as "Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi" (grass cutting two-edged sword) when it was used by Yamato Takeru to cut grass to make an escape route when he was surrounded by fire in one of the Ainu subjugation campaigns. So, both Murakumo and Kusanagi refer to the same thing, the sword of Orochi, the Dragon-King of the Sea.
This sword could only be wielded by the Emperor of Japan."

The close connection of the Imperial power with the heavenly sword maybe explaines why the Japanese have such a special veneration for swords, later to be called "The soul of the Samurai" and always handled with great respect. We will explore the religious aspect of the sword in Part 1 and the more materialistic one in Part 2.

八咫鏡(ヤタノカガミ), 草薙の剣（クサナギノツルギ）、八尺瓊勾玉(ヤサカニノマガタマ)　－　剣は三種の神器として昔から日本人にとって大事なものでした。武士の魂とも言われているほど侍の大事な道具でした。パート１では、宗教で見られる刀、パート２では、具体的に刀の話をすすめます。
http://inoues.net/yamataikoku/3shu/3shu_jingi.html

Read more about the legendary AMA-no-MURAKUMO-no-TSURUGI, the Sword of the Billowing Clouds on the following HP, which will be introduced in detail in Part 2.
http://www.sho-shin.com/yam1.htm

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The Buddhist Sword of Wisdom 知剣 Chiken 　
In Buddhism, we have a more philosophical form, the Sword of Wisdom. It is carried by Monju Bosatsu and the Wisdom King Fudoo (see below).

Monju Bosatsu (Manjushri Bodhisattva)　文殊菩薩
In his left hand he holds a sutra by which he dispenses wisdom to people, and in his right hand holds a sword for cutting off delusion. He sometimes rides on a lion, which is called the king of a hundred animals, and this expresses how he lives grandly with a powerful and correct wisdom.
"If three people are together, the Wisdom of Monju emerges" is a common saying in Japan which showes the strong connection with Monju and Wisdom.
Legend says that Monju was an Indian monk, born after the death of Shakyamuni. He reached the status of Bodhisattva through his serious ascetic studies. His religious dispute with the lay Buddhist Vimalakirti is reported in a famous sutra, Yuimakyoo.
Manjushri is very popular in Tibet, Northern China and Mongolia. The name of the region "Manjuria" might be taken from a deformed prononciation of "Manjushri". 　　　　　　　　　　
source://www.shingon.org/

Chiken (知剣, Buddism sword of wisdom)
on a sword at Yahiko Shrine (弥彦神社), Niigata
source : Taisaku Nogi

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If you repeat the Holy Mantra of Monju, On A Rahashanoo, you might gain the wisdom of Monju, if you practise seriously.

オン　アラハシャノウ　
オン　アラハシャノウ
この真言（五字文殊法）

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The Wisdom King Fudoo Myoo-oo and
the Sword Kurikara
不動明王と倶利伽羅不動剣
The unmovable Fudoo (Acala Vidyaaraaja) is one of the Wisdom Kings (Myoo-oo). He is usually depicted in a very wrathful way. He is a typical Japanese deity, introduced by Kooboo Daishi about 806 and soon became a special protector of the Mountain Ascetics (yamabushi). An impressive waterfall is considered the personification of Fudoo, for example the Great Waterfall at Nachi, which we met in the story about Kumano.
Fudoo is portrayed holding a two-edged sword with a three-pronged hilt in his right hand and a coiled rope in his left hand. With this sword of wisdom, Fudoo cuts through deluded and ignorant minds and with the rope he binds those who are ruled by their violent passions and emotions.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/fudo.html

Kurikara Fudo is another personification of this deity, this time in the form of a Dragon-Sword. The Dargon King Kurikara (Sanskrit: Kulikaa Nagaraajaa) is said to have a golden body color and is sometimes depicted with one or two horns on his head.
Legend has it that Fudoo had to fight the representative of a different religion. He changed himself into a flaming sword but the opponent did the same and the fighting went on without a winner. Now Fudoo changed himself into the Dragon Kurikara, wound himself around the opposing sword and started eating it from the top. This episode gave rise to the iconographic rendering as we know it now.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

The dragon used to be a vasall or symbol of the deity, but in this unique case the symbol and the deity came to be honored as the same thing. Especially during the Edo period where the sword was a symbol of the vasall's loyalty to his lord, the statues and steles of Kurikara Fudoo were produced in greater numbers.
倶利加羅は、「倶梨迦羅」「古力迦羅」「倶力迦羅」などと書れ、黒色の龍を意味し、不動明王の化身とされる。この龍が燃え盛る炎に包まれながらも岩上の利剣に巻き付き剣を飲み込まんとする尊像が倶利加羅不動明王で、危険な修羅場の守り神、火消し・博奕打ちが好んで刺青に使った尊像である。
http://www.jsdi.or.jp/~kirara80/meisho/narusawa/index.html/index412.html

This Kurikara Fudoo is the protective deity of a waterfall ofTerazawa. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

On the following HP you find another beatuiful stone stele with the Kurikara Fudoo and an explanation about other wayside deities (kooshin) in Japanese.
倶利迦羅明王は不動明王の化身で、庚申塔(こうしんとう)によくある青面金剛(しょうめんこんごう)とは少し違います。
source : mejirofudo

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Lately, maybe because of the play of words using
KEN (sword) and SHIKEN (examination)
the Kurikara Fudoo is sought after by students who have to pass an examination and want to ensure some divine help in this endeavor.

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Now let us go back to the Japanese sword. Here is a fine engraving of a Kurikara Fudoo on a companion sword (wakizashi).
脇指にすばらしい倶利伽羅不動があります。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

source : kunihiro.htm
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. Kurikara, the Sword of Fudo Myo-o
不動明王と倶利伽羅不動剣 .

　

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Sword bag "Daruma" 刀袋　達磨

　
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The story about the samurai sword continues with Part 2,
where we will talk in detail about the sword guard and other sword ornaments.

Menuki 目抜き　＜＞　Sword Decoration
Menuki ... Sword Part 2

Tatara and Fuigo, making metal for the sword
高殿鑪,鞴

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. Yamato Takeru and Shrine Sakaori no Miya 酒折宮　

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H A I K U

tachi, daitoo たち / 太刀／大刀 long sword

梅さくや雪隠の外の刀持
ume saku ya setchin no soto no katanamochi

plum blossoms--
outside the outhouse
a sword bearer

by Issa, 1824
Shinji Ogawa notes that katanamochi means "a sword holder"... an attendant. He explains, "A samurai of decent rank could afford such an attendant because human labor was so cheap."
Tr. David Lanoue

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一太刀の光を海に雷鳴す
hito tachi no hikari o umi ni kan narasu

the sparkling
of one big sword on the sea -
thundering thunder

Matsudaira Tomoko 松平知子

source : masaokato.jp

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Jimotsu - What is Daruma holding?

2010-02-01T23:46:00.000-08:00

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Jimotsu - What is Daruma holding?
持物－達磨さんがなにを持っていますか？

Recently a friend asked me:
"Why is this Lady Daruma holding a duster?
Is she going to clean her home?"
Well, that was the origin of this story. Here are some answers.
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

To identify a Buddhastatue one clue is the item that the deity is holding in its hands. In Japanese this is called "jimotsu" 持物. Since many renderings of Daruma feature a tumbler doll with no arms or legs, he is not carrying anything, but this absence of arms and legs itself helps to identify a Daruma.
Daruma as represented in his form as Zen master, Daruma Daishi, is seated or standing, hands folded below the robe, hands in meditation pose or holding something with one or two hands.

The statues of a Kannon Bosatsu with 1000 arms are maybe the most representative to study the things a Buddha can carry. Here are two illustrations of the things carried in the left and right hands (remember, there should be 500 each!) but here we have just a small sample.

Kannon Bosatsu with 1000 Arms (Avalokiteshvara)
千手観音菩薩

This is a typical statue of esoteric Buddhism. Each item represents one of the vows of the Bosatsu to help and save all of mankind. On the palm of each hand an open eye is usually painted or engraved too, so this Bosatsu can see all the misery in the wolrd and rush to help. In an abbreviated form most statues have only 42 arms holding different things, since it is said that one hand can fulfill 25 vows.

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Flywhisk Hossu 　払子

This is a whisk used to flick mosquitoes away. This tool had its practical use in India and other hot countries. Usually the whisk was made of the hair of Tibetan yak and used by highranking priests. It came to be symbolized especially in Zen Buddhism, where it stands for the swishing away of delusive thoughts and ideas which are continuously troubling the normal human being. Since Daruma is a high-ranking priest, of course he carried such a flywhisk to flick away the moskitoes around him and the "spiritual moskitoes" in the minds of his disciples.

Daruma with a Flywhisk 　払子を持つだるま
This is maybe most often found as an attribute of Daruma san. Even some tiny MINI ones where depicted with it. And he does not even need hands to hold it, it can just be painted on the body. Daruma can hold the hossu in his right or left hand, have it hanging down or hold it straight upright or even recline and let it dangle over his shoulder.

. Daruma carrying a flywhisk 　

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Priest's Szepter 　Nyoi 如意

NYOI means "To Fulfill all Wishes", as in the use of the "Wishfulfilling Jewel"(nyoi hooju 如意宝珠), another attribute of the Kannon with 1000 Arms and very often a Jizoo Bosatsu. (Sometimes this jewel is painted on the belly of a Princess Daruma.) Nyoi is a kind of broad ladle with the top part formed like an auspicious bat (koomori 蝙蝠) and is used by priests during the recital of sutras or lectures to emphasize a point. It is about 30 cm long. In ancient China the top part was sometimes made out of a mushroom with an auspicious shape to symbolize long life. You can see it with statues of high priests of the Zen sect and esoteric Buddhist sects. When Daruma Daishi is depicted as a normal priest, this is his iconographical symbol.

. Wishfulfilling Jewel (nyoi hooju 如意宝珠)
Sanskrit: cintamani

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Rosaray Nenju (Juzu) 　念珠、数珠

Rosaries were introduced to Japan with Buddhism. Originally rare and precious, the spread of Buddhism brought wider use of "Nenju" from the Heian Period (8th-12th century) to the Kamakura Period (12th-14th century). Permission to trade in rosaries during the Edo Period (17th-19th century) made them available to the general public. Kyoto has many head temples of various Buddhist sects, and the techniques of making Rosaries have been passed down from generation to generation. Usually they have 108 beads. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　. Rosaray (nenju, juzu) 　念珠、数珠, 誦数

There are old rosaries, which Kooboo Daishi brought back from China to Japan.
They are of the long type with 108 beads.

Daruma with a Rosary 　数珠をもつだるま
We found the rosary in the story about KATSU! and Yakimono (1).　

Daruma Museum

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Daruma carrying other things 　
ほかの物を持つだるま

Daruma is holding a rosary and also a scroll with a sutra.
This is a very special statue in my museum, with an individual facial expression. And there is at least one more like this in Japan.

We met Daruma carrying one shoe in the story about Sekiri.
Sekiri Daruma carrying one sandal　靴を持っている達磨さん：隻履達磨

In the story about Yakko Daruma, he was carrying a helbard, but that is the iconographic item of a Yakko, not Daruma himself.
Yakko Daruma /　奴だるま Papermachee Dolls

Finally here is Daruma carrying a small Monkey, at least that is what the animal looks to me. If you know about similar features, please share them with us.
This is a wooden Chinese Daruma statue with a tiny animal, probably a monkey.
(Picture to be added)
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

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Who is Daruma ?

Daruma Museum

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Fusuma sliding doors

2010-02-01T23:33:00.002-08:00

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Fusuma - Daruma on a Sliding Door
襖絵とだるま

Paintings of Zen Patriarchs on sliding doors
Temple Joho-Ji (Joohooji)
大雄山　正法寺　　本堂正面襖絵
source : chikurin

The traditional Japanese house is a wonderful construction to adapt to the needs of its inhabitants and the changes of climate. With the use of sliding doors the four little rooms of my old farmhouse change into a big hall to entertain a lot of guests; the bedding disappears in a shelf (oshi-ire 押し入れ) closed with sliding doors and between the windows and the living room there is a small veranda which can be shut off with "sliding doors to view the moon" (tsukimi shooji 月見障子). This is a special type of doors, made of a wooden frame coverd with Japanese paper and with a glass panel at the bottom. This panel is covered with a set of smaller sliding panels which are again covered with Japanese paper and can be moved up to let you look out of the window and enjoy the autumn moon while sitting on the floor sipping ricewine. In this ingenious way the room keeps warm, outside is cold and you still can enjoy the moon.

The door type called "fusuma" is usually made of thick paper or wood panels. These large surfaces provide a superb canvas and gave rise to the most beautiful examples of the art of Japanese paintings. Pictures on Fusuma are also called "Pictures on movable walls" (shoohekiga 障壁画). Another name for fusuma is "Chinese Paper Sliding Door" (karakami shooji 唐紙障子). Fusuma are well adapted to the Japanese climate. When it is humid, they absorb moisture. On the other hand, when it is dry, they emit moisture to keep up a comfortable atmosphere.

In ancient times, Buddhist subjects formed the nucleus of Japanese paintings, but by the early 8th century, secular objects began to appear. Paintings on walls, doors and screens existed in Japan since the Nara period, but they show a strong influence of Chinese art. Truly Japanese-style paintings (yamato-e 大和絵) with motives of flowers and birds of the four seasons, court scenes and landscapes appear during the Heian period. In Japan, art was an integral part of architecture, and painting was considered of primary importance in filling the large panels and movable walls of the numerous rooms in temples, shrines, castles and mansions of the nobles and warriors.

In the late Muromachi period, the artist Kano Motonobu (Kanoo Motonobu 狩野元信1476-1559) introduced a combination of monochromatic Zen art with its strong ink brushstrokes with the more delicate lines, but vivid colors of the native Yamato-e. In the following Momoyama period his grandson, Kano Eitoku (Kanoo 狩野永徳1543-90) brought the style fo full frutition. The sliding doors and screens of this era are mostly executed on a gold foil background and they are considered the golden age of Japanese painting.

The most famous pictures on sliding doors are to be found in the great temples and mansions. The subject had to match the purpose of the room and the mood of the owner. Therefore many temples feature a Daruma picture on the sliding door, but unfortunately I could not find them on the Internet.
If someone can provide a quotation, please do so.

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. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Fusuma, the facts at JAANUS

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The temple Ichijoo-In 一乗院 on Mt. Koya features with picutres of the Kanoo School (Kanoo-ha 狩野派).
襖絵は江戸時代狩野派の絵師狩野探採によって画かれたものです。

http://www.itijyoin.or.jp/

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The famous Golden Temple Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto 金閣寺。
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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The Rinzai Zen-Temple Zuigan-ji in Matsushima close to Sendai.
松島にある瑞巌寺（宮城県）

This long HP has many beautiful paintings.
http://www7.ocn.ne.jp/~zuiganji/oheya.html

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Temple Hootoku-ji in Iwate prefecture 宝徳寺
岩手県の宝徳寺
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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CLICK on the thumbnails for many more photos !
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Finally, let us have a look at two of my sliding doors.
Photos TBA

They come with the following story from the painter friend:
"I was very sick a while ago and prayed a lot to get better. Now I am well again and full of gratitude. So I started to write the Heart Sutra and paint Daruma san, starting with small pictures and now doing large ones. Since you like Daruma san too, I give you some of my work for your new Daruma Hall!"

They are paintings, but we had them mounted on the sliding doors to give them more space. There is one on each side of the partition. The Chinese characters on the one with the sutra read "Heart of Buddha" (busshin 佛心), the others are a famous Zen word from the Chinese Zen Master Wu-Men (Mumon 無門).
"Every Day is a Good Day" (nichinichi kore koonichi 日々是好日).

. Every Day is a Good Day .

In Zen you do not fret about things that are over and you do not worry about things to happen in the future. Just experience the moment, be it full of pleasure or full of sorrow, do not judge its quality but experience it to the fullest. Then every day will be a "Good Day", may it be rain or storm or sunshine.
Here is a quotation to help you solve your Koan Problem.

"When you are assigned a koan by your meditation instructor, such as, "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" or "Why did Bodhidharma come from the west?" you have to ask yourself, "What does this have to do with my real suffering - my depression, my fear, or my anger?" If it does not have anything to do with these real problems, it may not be a path you need. It may be just an escape. Practice you koan in a way that your suffering is transformed". Lama Surya Das (1997) gained insight from his elderly Zen master about the use of the koan. The elderly master stated, "We all have to solve it in our own way; how we live our lives day by day and what we do depends ultimately on ourselves."
http://www.uwec.edu/greider/Buddha/Buddhism.Course/Students_Projects_Sites/larson.koan/zen_koan.htm

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Please continue to read the story about folding screens, Byobu, to learn more about art and Japanese homes.

Byoobu and Tsuitate - Daruma on a Screen　屏風, 衝立とだるま.

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kigo for all winter

. Sliding doors between the rooms, fusuma　襖　ふすま
winter doors, fuyu fusuma　冬襖
fusumagami 襖紙（ふすまがみ）washi Japanese paper for fusuma
karakami 唐紙（からかみ）special paper for sliding doors
ebusuma 絵襖（えぶすま）fusuma with paintings
shirobusuma 白襖（しろぶすま）white sliding door
fusumashooji 襖障子（ふすましょうじ）fusuma sliding doors

karakami shooji 唐紙障子（からかみしょうじ）fusuma with karakami colored paper
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
　

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kigo for all summer

fusuma hazusu 襖はずす (ふすまはずす )
taking the fusuma away
kazatooshi 風通し（かざとおし）"letting the wind in"
kazatoori 風通り（かざとおり） "letting the wind pass through"

Especially in the machiya merchant homes of Kyoto the preparations for summer and winter were quite necessary to keept the rooms cool in summer.

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kigo for mid-autumn

. shooji arau 障子洗う (しょうじあらう )
to wash the sliding doors 　
shooji fusuma o ireru 障子襖を入れる (しょうじふすまをいれる)
to put in sliding doors between the tatami rooms
and many more kigo.

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amado 雨戸 "rain door"
exterior sliding door, to keep out the cold and rain and protect the glass windows during a typhoon.
They are traditionally made out of wood and pulled back during the daytime in a special box at the side of the house. When in place at night they have a special lock at the inside to keep burglars from opening them.

Modern plastic versions with insulation are also available.

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. Sliding Doors with Dragon paintings .

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Byoobu and Tsuitate

2010-02-01T23:26:00.000-08:00

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Byoobu and Tsuitate -
Daruma on a Screen

屏風、衝立とだるま

. Byobu 屏風 (びょうぶ byoobu)
Folding Screen Exhibitions 　

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. Kaneda Sekijo 　金田石城　 .
高崎で書道家・金田石城さんの作品展
December 11, 2011 - Exhibition at Takasaki

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The context of Japanese interior was already covered in the story about sliding doors, Fusuma, so please refer to this before reading on.

. Fusuma - Daruma on a Sliding Door
襖絵とだるま

The golden age for folding screens and paravents was the Momoyama and Muromachi period. Together with the sliding door paintings they were the best medium to lavishly decorate a room and also to give expression to the painters individual taste. A folding screen set usually consists of two screens with six panels each and thus provided a large canvas, sometimes covered completely with gold foil. Chinese (too-e 唐絵) and Japanese motives (yamato-e 大和絵) where the two mainstreams of this extremely rich genre.

The word BYOOBU (byobu) originally means "Protection from the wind", so they were used to ward off drafts, but generally they were movabel walls used to partition a room for ceremonial or other occasions. The first screens were introduced from China and Korea, but soon became a thouroughly Japanese part of the interior and sometimes they were even used as presents by the Japanese envoys to the Chinese court.
The earliest screens were painted on separate panels and then hinged with leather or cloth pulled through holes at the edge of the wooden frames.

The oldest screens in Japan are kept in the imperial treasurehouse Shoosooin (Shosoin 正倉院) on the grounds of the temple Todai-ji in Nara and date from around 750 A.D. They consist of paintings on paper and silk and panels of woven fabric. While almost all early Japanese art was centered around Buddhism, the subject matter of the screens is uniquely secular and includes palast scenes, landscapes, poetry, natural themes such as animals, birds, flowers and grass or human figures.

A new Korean technique introduced in the mid-fourteenth century hinged the screen panels together with paper and offered more continuous surface on which to paint. This opportunity for new formats and changes in composition eventually brought the art of Japanes screen paintings to its zenith.

The introduction of firearms to Japan by the Portugese in the mid sixteenth century revolutionized warfare and with it, architecture, ushering in a golden age of screen painting during the Momoyama period. The monumental (and drafty) castles made necessary by the use of guns, where perfect for large, lavishly decorated screens. The liberal use of gold backgrounds not only symbolized the strenght and wealth of the new warlords but, more practically, served to reflect light and illuminate the vast, gloomy interiors.

Folding Screen, Facts by JAANUS

. Byobu - Online Reference

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One of my favorite classical screens is the one depicting the
Gods of Wind and Thunder (fuujin raijinzu byoobu 風神雷神図屏風)
by Tawaraya Sotatsu (?-1640) from the famous old Zen temple Kennin-ji.
建仁寺の風神雷神図屏風
Tawaraya Sootatsu　俵屋宗達

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Famous screen about traditional dancers by
Tawaraya Sotatsu
俵屋宗達作の舞楽図屏風

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Ogata Koorin 尾形光琳 Ogata Korin

White and Red Plums 紅白梅図屏風

Autumn Grass 秋草図屏風　　　

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Another wild example is the amazing screen by
Soga Shohaku (1730 -81),
depicting some hermits, but with bold strokes and in vivid colors, in contrast to the hermits we will meet a little later.

Soga Shoohaku 曾我蕭白作「群仙図屏風」

. Soga Shohaku 曽我蕭白1730–1781

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The famous screens by Ishida Yutei (Ishida Yuutei (1721-1786), featuring a group of herons on a golden background.

石田幽汀の群鶴図

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A special genre are the folding screens with decorations of fans, called
Senmen Harimaze Byoobu (扇面貼交屏風).

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Folding screens for a wedding ceremony
Golden screens are quite popular these days.
屏風結婚式
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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The following folding screen brings us back to the subject of Zen.
The "Eight Drinking Hermits"
by Kaiho Yusho (Kaihoo Yuushoo 1533-1615) are close to the Zen way of life.

飲中八仙図も禅の世界に近い屏風
海北友松（1533－1615）

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. Tokyo National Museum - Byobu Collection
屏風 - 京都国立博物館

. Byobu from the Momoyama Period
屏風　桃山絵画賛歌　

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Daruma on a Folding Screen

source : seigetu23

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Onna Daruma - Daruma as a woman

source : tonton3

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Fotos TBA
During a trip to Nishi-Izu in 1991 I found a small temple, Hongan-ji near Dogashima, with a somehow homemade screen wiht a picture of Daruma san. It shows Daruma below the inscription "Every Day is a Good Day", which we already saw in the story about Fusuma.

“日々是好日”
西伊豆の堂ヶ島の近くにある本願寺

In the entrance of the Daruma temple Hoorin-ji in Kyoto I found these two items, a folding screen with two panels and simple screen. The big Daruma face has a real hooked nose like an Indian monk.
京都の法輪寺にこの屏風と衝立をみつけました。

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. Kigo for Winter .

portable　screens, byoobu 屏風
used to keep the cold wind from reaching the body
ginbyoobu 銀屏風（ぎんびょうぶ）silver folding screen

みじか夜や枕にちかき銀屏風
mijikayo ya makuramoto ni chikaki gin byoobu

short night -
near my pillow
a silver folding screen

. Yosa Buson 与謝蕪村 .

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Tsuitate 衝立 partitioning screen
This is a standing screen consisting of a single panel supported on two feet. It is used to seperate off a corner of a room or placed in front of an open doorway to gain a little privacy or block a direct breeze.
Sometimes it contains of a simple large piece of beautiful wood and stands in the entrance of a mansion or hotel to prevent the full view of the lobby.

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From Toyama Town
source : 富山の商店街

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at Temple Tenryu-Ji 天龍寺
source : junsplace.blog

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Daruma Memorial Day Celebration, Head Priest Ito San
at temple Gokuraku-Ji 極楽寺の達磨忌
Tokyo, Ayabe Town 京都府綾部市
source : ayabebunnkazai

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source : hiroshima-art.net

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Daruma, by 高木梅荘
source : chikurindou.co.jp

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source : narun, a painter

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Daruma Museum

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DARUMA MUSEUM (02) ... DARUMA ARCHIVES

Daruma Museum (02) ENTER

Who is Daruma ?

Nengajo of all years

Mito Komon

Exhibition

Goshiki Five Colors

Teaburi hand warmer

Senkootate Incense holder

Oribe Pottery

Matsu the Pine

Tsurukame

Banzai

Wall sticker wallpaper

Hakobi Daruma

Meoto Fuufu and Enmusubi

Urushi laquer

Fude pen

Kakebotoke votive plaques

Me-ire painting eyes

Kamakurabori

Jindai-ji Temple

Daruma Days Book

Goma aburi-ki

Katsu - Koan

Katana (2) - Tsuba, Menuki

Katana (1) Sword

Jimotsu - What is Daruma holding?

Fusuma sliding doors

Byoobu and Tsuitate

Wall sticker　wallpaper