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

. . . . .


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


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Goshiki Five Colors

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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 五色だるま
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
observance kigo for early autumn

. Tanabata Star Festival 七夕 .


. Gankake 願掛け to make a wish .

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Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America

quote
Go-Shiki / 5 color Gem Mamori Bracelet

Ame-no-Koyane-no-Mikoto and Futo-Dama-no-Mikoto brought the 500 branch true sakaki trees as offering, hanging the divine e jewels in the upper branches, the divine mirror in the mid branches and cloth offerings on the lower branches. Ame-no-Hazuchi-wo-O-Kami wove cloth of many colours, these pacificatory offerings are the origin of the Masakaki.....as for the colours, the 5 colors represent the 4 directions + center:

Mitsudomoe (symbol of Shrine Shinto) can also be called "Mikubitama" and consists of:

Black (purple) means North (Ara Mitama)
Blue (green) means East (Kushi Mitama)
Red means South (Sachi Mitama)
White means West (Nigi Mitama)
Yellow means the sacred Center (Nao-Hi =sun rays)



As Sarutahiko Okami is Kunitsu Kami Oyagami/ ancestor Kami of all Earthly Kami as well Dousoujin/Michibikikami/ Kami of the way, guidance and opening the path when we stand firmly centered on the Earth receiving sacred sunshine we can make correct progress on our individual life paths. Go-shiki-mamori bracelets mean to stand in the current moment in the divine center and receive power from Earth and Heaven. These mamori bracelets are made of very high quality hand carved gemstones. The semi precious gems are of "AA+ " grade. The power gems used are:

Black/purple = murasaki suisyo/amethyst. Highest colour vibration/ healing stone....Amethyst means both love and also stimulates the intellectual side of your life while calming your nervous system. Amethyst meaning is also reveal hidden charm and abilities.. Increases activity of right-side brain - purifies blood - reinforces immune function - increases psychic skills and intuition - peaceful mind.

Blue/ Green = Hisui/jade Calming, dispel misfortune, bravery in face of adversity, increased patience, protection of love and friendship. Jade was prized more highly than gold. green jade is the most highly sought after and its color comes from chromium.... green Jade enhances healing of both the emotional and physical. It is linked to the heart and is said to enhance prosperity and abundance and especially longevity

Red = Carnelian is to energize the blood. Excellent for both being in the moment and motivation to make correct choices, decisions and movement. Known as the most powerful ACTION gem---self-actualization--stimulating analytical capabilities, precision and motivation.

White = clear suisyo/crystal is for harmony and protection Clear Quartz has very strong powers of protection as it can absorb negative energies and harmonize KI of the wearer and enhance power. It has the ability to transmit and receive energy. In transmission, it can amplify, focus, and direct the energy. In receiving, it can store energy for later use, transform it into any usable condition, screen out unwanted vibrations and purify, calm and balance/centre one's own Ki

Yellow = Ki iro hisui/ yellow jade jade used for millennia as the ultimate symbol of calm, serene joy. Connected to spirituality, longevity, positive fortune and prosperity -- yellow jade means joy, confidence and self assurance.
source : www.tsubakishrine.org


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


. Goshiki jika 五色鹿 deer in five colors .
Kasuga shrine, Nara


. Goshiki suzu 五色鈴 five-colored clay bells .


..... Colors in Haiku Traditional Japanese Colors

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Senkootate Incense holder

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


This topic comprises various parts:

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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Let us 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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photos TBA

Its time to look at some incense stick holders with Daruma.

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 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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source :　www.butgu.com/shop

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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



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Oribe Pottery

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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

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Matsu - The Pine and Daruma
松と達磨

- Matsu - I will wait (matsu) forever


source :　pixta.jp/photo


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


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 Beard of Daruma and
. shoochikubai 松竹梅 pine, bamboo, plum .


"Three friends of Winter", Pine, Bamboo and Plum
saikan sanyu 歳寒三友 Three Friends of Winter
. WKD : Pine (matsu) .


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source :　MET museum of art

Daruma (Ta Mo) and Disciple under Pine Tree
Attributed to Shokei (active late 15th–early 16th century)



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source :　arairyokan

Stone Daruma under a pine
temple Shuzen-Ji 修善寺


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The auspicios symbol of the pine is found in many places in Japan.
In the old Japanese poem collection Manyoshu『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.

Gate Decoration with Pine, kadomatsu 門松
. WKD : Pine (matsu) .


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.


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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.

"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."



In the garden of Zentsu-ji we find the famous "Pine of the Revered Image" 御影の松.
When Kukai came back to his birthplace after studying in China, he could not meet his mother. So he leaned over the pond 御影の池 Mikage no Ike, 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.

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 Kukai himself just climbing out of it any time.

There 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 Kukai 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。


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source :　pixta.jp/photo


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Tsurukame

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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 ?


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亀どののいくつのとしぞ不二の山
kame dono no ikutsu no toshi zo fuji no yama

and how old are you
Mr. Turtle?
Mount Fuji

Kobayashi Issa
Tr. David Lanoue


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. Turtle folk toys .
the Urashima Taro Legend 浦島太郎



. Tsuru and Kame - kites from Izumo Shrine .
Legends and Folk Toys from Tottori


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kifu　きふ (龟趺)
The [baxia 霸下 . guifu (龟趺)], big tortoises which like to carry heavy objects, are placed under grave-monuments.

hiiki 贔屓
The [bixi 贔屭], which have the shape of the chilong 螭龍, and are fond of literature, are represented on the sides of grave-monuments.
. hiiki 贔屓 / 贔負（ひいき) child of the dragon king .


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