Yay, it’s already Tuesday! PingMag MAKE day! Have a look at our sister’s lovely report on Daruma: This very part of Japanese folk art emerged in the Edo period and, since then, the little dolls are used as pretty popular talismans. Typical daruma are bright red, and they come with either just one eye painted in, or both eyes left unpainted. How come? One eye is painted when a wish is made, and the other is completed when it is achieved. But prepare for the daruma MAKE found in Sendai that are a psychedelic blue, with bulging painted eyes and furry eyebrows… PingMag MAKE visited a family who creates daruma since ten generations (!) and spoke with Naoko Hongo of the Hongo Daruma-ya shop about its ongoing mystery.
Written by Takafumi Suzuki
Translated by Claire Tanaka
We understand that Kesano Hongo, the previous head of Hongo Daruma-ya shop, passed away recently. Please accept my sympathies.
Yes, thank you. Grandma made daruma for sixty years, ever since she came into the family as a bride, but at age 83 she left us. When she died, we had to start thinking about where we want to go with our work from here on. When we realized how many people depend on Matsukawa daruma, we began to feel we had no choice but to continue making them. (laughs)
Do you think there is some kind of spirit in the daruma which is passed down from your ancestors?
Our family has been making daruma since the Edo period, about 170 years ago. Grandma Kesano was the ninth generation, so that makes us the tenth. Matsukawa daruma began with Toyonoshin Matsukawa, a feudal retainer of the Sendai Han, and after that, it was carried on by the samurai of the domain as a home industry. The eyebrows are made of real hair, the head is ultramarine blue, and on the stomach are images like a treasure ship, a god of luck, or lucky symbols like pine, bamboo, and plum. The daruma comes with the eyes already painted in so that he can watch over everything. Date Masamune, who was the lord of Sendai when Matsukawa daruma were first made, was a flamboyant, one-eyed man, and they say his wishes were embodied in this style of daruma.
… and a lucky treasure boat on the belly! They say this is good for luck with money
The paint has a very wet quality.
I imagine that Grandma Kesano also had a very strong connection to the daruma?
She always said that it was thanks to the daruma that she had been able to come so far in life, and every day she expressed her gratitude as she made them. She always used to say, “I can’t let the line of daruma-makers end with me.” It was the karmic connection she had to the world through daruma. Grandma was protected by that through her life.
A karmic connection…
Well, Grandma would be sitting like this in the workshop, and people passing by would come in and say “How are you doing, Grandma?” and it wasn’t just other elderly people either. Young people, children, everyone would come in to say hello. People would come from all over the country just to meet her. She valued the connections she had with people. The strangest thing that happened was the moment she died, and directly after she died, people with a connection to her naturally gathered together.
What exactly happened?
For example, at the hospital. The doctor who took care of her had bought one of her daruma when he had gone to write the national exam. Both the acupuncture doctor and the psychiatrist owned one of her daruma and used it as a personal grounding point. A television announcer who came to the hospital was surprised to hear her name announced over the PA there. That announcer had come to learn how to paint from Grandma when he was still a new recruit. Everyone in the family agreed, “Everyone was called by the daruma to come and give their last respects to our Grandma.”
That is quite strange.
People who have bought the daruma have had strange things happen to them too. Every year, we get mountains of letters in thanks. People who weren’t able to have children and were blessed with a child, people who were able to find a good marriage partner, companies which were about to go under but managed to recover, people who passed their university entrance examinations, and so on and so forth. We get these reports back from people and it gives us a sense of duty that pushes us to keep plugging away, little by little. (laughs) We can’t bring ourselves to charge too much so we’ll never get rich by making daruma, though.
Have the two of you, the tenth generation, always been making daruma?
Yes, I was always helping out as Grandma’s assistant. And Dad (my husband) here, he’s her son, so he’s been helping out ever since he was a child. He’s been working outside of the home ever since he finished school, so he comes and helps out here when he has time. But, even now, I still depend on Grandma. When I’m working, I feel like she is watching me, and I find myself talking to her, “Now, how does this step go again?” (laughs)
What is the toughest part about making daruma?
Getting the colors right, and doing the painting is the hardest part. Matsukawa daruma have changed, ever so slightly, over the generations. That’s because our materials have changed over the years. For example, we would no longer be able get the paint we used to use or we’d have switch to using hide glue, things like that. Sometimes I think to myself “This isn’t quite right” and I go to a customer’s house and borrow an old Matsukawa daruma of theirs and use it as a model. That’s why the customers are also a big part of keeping the Matsukawa daruma tradition alive.
Sounds like Matsukawa daruma are well-loved by everyone.
Now, most of the daruma are sold to tourists as souvenirs, or people buy them on New Year’s Eve for good luck. I think the most important thing for us to do is just to put our hearts into each daruma we make, and work with a sense of gratitude. But what worries me is that we won’t be able to be as good as Grandma was with customers and the media. With Grandma, she’d talk up a storm when the media came. She’d get her hair done at the salon, sit up straight, and look right at the camera and give a big smile. Of course normally she was working, day in day out, making daruma for everyone. I can’t imitate her, but I feel I have to learn from her example. We have a good strong family because Grandma was such a grand daruma craftswoman, and she brought the magic of the daruma into our home. Isn’t that right, Dad?
45 Comments
- Share and Enjoy:
As of December 31, 2008, PingMag and sister site PingMag MAKE are both on extended hiatus, and will not be updated for the foreseeable future. We are eternally grateful for your fantastic support over the years.
Important Notice
31 Dec 2008
Ryu Itadani: A World in Colors
29 Dec 2008
Magibon: From YouTube to Japan
26 Dec 2008
Benedetta Borrometi: Cheerful Paintings for All
24 Dec 2008
Nakagin Capsule Tower: Architecture of the Future
22 Dec 2008
Cute and Pop! 60s Girls Comics by Eico Hanamura
19 Dec 2008
Japan’s Hi-Tech Toilets
17 Dec 2008
Amusement: Gaming Culture Meets Art and Fashion
15 Dec 2008
HIROCOLEDGE: A New Tradition that Blends into Modern Times
12 Dec 2008
Masato Seto: The Sweet Allure of Betel Nut Beauties
10 Dec 2008
-
None found
The old sepia photos are so good!
Posted by: Badger on August 5th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Wished I knew about these furry-eye browed darumas before I came back to the US. Would’ve been nice to own one that is different from your usual red ones ^_^
Posted by: Jiayi on August 6th, 2008 at 3:48 am
This article made me feel even more interested about the Japanese tradition.Thanks a lot for keeping us in touch with this fantastic country!
Posted by: Kaddo on August 6th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
I own a couple of red Darumas myself, but I’ve never seen a blue one indeed.
Great read and interview. :]
Posted by: blauereiter on August 6th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Hand works everytime are special.
Posted by: araba on August 22nd, 2008 at 7:57 am
[...] moving pictures gadget the zoetrope second story I wan’t to promote is the piece on the blue daruma of the hongo daruma shop (本郷だるま職人) in miyagi (宮城県) which is a tiny tale of [...]
Posted by: loka?blog » Blog Archive » pingmag update, august 2008 on August 28th, 2008 at 4:41 am
Thanks admin!!!
Posted by: Biber Hapı on July 28th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Hand works everytime are special.
Posted by: memnune on October 5th, 2010 at 11:10 am
This looks just amazing…
Posted by: oblikovanje tiskovin on April 27th, 2011 at 3:16 am
Aw, this was a really quality post. In theory I’d like to write like this too - taking time and real effort to make a good article… buaasfsat what can I say… I procrastinate alot and never seem to get something done.
Posted by: nike air max black on May 23rd, 2011 at 2:56 pm
激安ブランド市場
◆当店には、ルイヴィトン、シャネル、グッチ、コーチ、ロレックス、プラダ、 ディオール、ブルガリ財布 その他小物等、
ブランド品、デュポン、ROLEX時針、ルイウ゛ィトン、PRADA、Coach、GUCCI、CHANEL、BVLGARI、各種海外有名ブランド品を豊富に取り揃え、しかもお客様を第一と考えて、驚きの低価格で提供しております
◆ 当社にて載せていただきました商品は、各ブランドの直営店の最新作であり、正規品
とのそんなに違いないと思いております。
◆ 最も安い非常に親切で丁寧な対応で、良い商品が揃えっておるサイトでございます。
◆ スタイルが多い、品質がよい、価格が低い、実物写真
100%品質保証！満足保障！リピーター率100％!☆*.”.:
HP：http://www.lv-best.net
Posted by: 激安ブランド市場 on May 31st, 2011 at 12:23 am
Nice site! Accountability is very important, to live a transparent life that is open can set you free. Knowing I have nothing to hide feels so great. Accountability Software helped me get there.
Posted by: Accountability Software on June 10th, 2011 at 5:37 am
I want to see the many development of this site.
Posted by: healthcare on June 14th, 2011 at 2:59 pm
Thanks for the information about this topic.
Posted by: innovative healthcare on June 15th, 2011 at 3:43 am
Here’s another great article on the subject: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/why-do-we-need-personal-development-to-be-successful
Posted by: personal development on June 16th, 2011 at 1:06 pm
With all of the info overload, it’s good to see the fluff excluded.
Posted by: weightlifting routines on June 17th, 2011 at 9:02 am
I like your blog. Thanks for helping me with my research. I am always on the lookout for good blogs and interesting posts.
Posted by: Fast Cash Videos on June 19th, 2011 at 5:55 am
The articles were well written, I enjoyed viewing them.I aso have a website and would like very much for you to visit.thank you.
Posted by: super mall on June 24th, 2011 at 1:54 am
Great Post and looking forward to farther posts so keep up the great work…til i read the next post.
Posted by: Kidney Stones Diet Guy on July 8th, 2011 at 10:41 am
Your articles on creative designs are awesom. Please keep up the good work.
Posted by: Affiliate Marketing Reviews on July 14th, 2011 at 11:26 pm
If u like soccer visit us!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Soccer on July 20th, 2011 at 2:27 am
Didn’t know the forum rules aollwed such brilliant posts.
Posted by: Janae on July 25th, 2011 at 5:11 am
süper site
Posted by: goruntulu sohbet on July 26th, 2011 at 10:18 pm
I like your website. It has a very good design. At the moment, I am looking for a good face acne treatment product.
Posted by: face acne treatments on July 27th, 2011 at 6:03 pm
10 generations of Daruma artisans. Tradition rocks!
Posted by: Fence PA on July 28th, 2011 at 5:56 am
This daruma face reminds me of something. Dang, can’t put my finger on it.
Posted by: Wedding Videography NJ on July 28th, 2011 at 6:01 am
Look at all those blue-ness!
Posted by: Pergola Construction on July 28th, 2011 at 6:20 am
It would freak me out if I stood in that shop alone at the dead of night. And the eyebrows are made of real hair!
Anyhow, they say these are good luck charms. Shoo away negative vibes.
Posted by: Video Production Philadelphia on July 28th, 2011 at 6:22 am
Your writing is impressive, informative and compelling. I was motivated to read your article twice due to the vast information and interesting content. Thank you. http://www.samsung1080phdtv.net/
Posted by: samsung 1080p hdtv on October 17th, 2011 at 5:52 am
Hyderabad it jobs,Hyderabad jobs,jobs in Hyderabad,jobs Hyderabad,it jobs in Hyderabad,jobs in Hyderabad for freshers,jobs at Hyderabad,it jobs Hyderabad,Hyderabad jobs for freshers ,Hyderabad freshers jobs,frehers jobs,frehers freshers,Hyderabad bpo jobs,freshers jobs,freshers jobs in Hyderabad
Posted by: hyderabad jobs on October 19th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
Good luck to the author! all the best! dd
Posted by: men watches online on November 4th, 2011 at 6:35 pm
Your business sounds interesting. Why is it important to the industry?
Posted by: See Clear Without Glasses on November 10th, 2011 at 10:56 am
Good Article …. Excellent !!!! visit automotive :-bd
Posted by: Information Automotive on November 11th, 2011 at 11:14 pm
Collecting figurines has become more popular lately and many people are turning to the internet to locate them.
Posted by: Figurines on November 20th, 2011 at 2:17 pm
Thanks for the interesting post. I swear, you learn something new every day.
Posted by: professional bra fitting on November 23rd, 2011 at 7:39 am
จากประสบการณ์กว่า 20 ปี เกี่ยวกับธุรกิจยา และอาหารเสริม พร้อมความมุ่งมั่นที่จะพัฒนาอาหารเสริมของไทยให้ทัดเทียมกับระดับสากล เพื่อตอบสนองทุกความต้องการของทุกกลุ่มผู้บริโภค ทั้งเรื่องของคุณภาพ และราคา จนได้รับการยอมรับจากกลุ่มผู้บริโภคจากหลากหลายสาขาอาชีพ ไม่ว่าจะเป็น กลุ่มนักธุรกิจ พนักงานออฟฟิศ แม่บ้าน นักเรียน นักศึกษา ไปจนถึงกลุ่มศิลปิน ดารา นักแสดง
Posted by: อาหารเสริมนาตาลีเดวิส on November 26th, 2011 at 11:10 pm
เป็นสารประเภทTripeptide ที่ประกอบด้วยกรดอะมิโน 3 ชนิด ได้แก่ ซิสเทอีน(Cysteine), ไกลซีน (Glycine), กลูตามิค (Glutamic acid) กลูต้าไธโอน เป็นสารแอนติออกซิแดนท์ที่สำคัญชนิดละลายน้ำได้ที่ร่างกายสร้างขึ้น และเป็นพื้นฐานสำหรับสารแอนติออกซิแดนท์อื่นๆ ที่เกี่ยวข้อง ซึ่งรวมทั้งกลูต้าไธโอนเปอร์ออกซิเดส สารประกอบ กลูต้าไธโอน ช่วยปกป้องร่างกายจากการทำลายของอนุมูลอิสระ ช่วยกระตุ้นระบบภูมิคุ้มกัน และช่วยตับในการย่อยสลายสารพิษ ร่างกายของเราจะผลิตมากขึ้นหากได้รับสารพิษเข้าไป เช่น ยาฆ่าแมลง สารเคมีต่างๆที่ปนเปื้อนในอาหาร น้ำดื่ม สารพิษเหล่านี้จะทำลายเซลล์ และระบบของร่างกาย
Posted by: กลูต้าไธโอน on November 28th, 2011 at 4:22 pm
Hospedagem ilimitada, revenda ilimitada, dominios ilimitados
Posted by: Hospedagem ilimitada on November 28th, 2011 at 8:00 pm
Thanks for share …
Posted by: Partaji.com - share the info ... on December 2nd, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Hay very nice blog , keep it up buddy
Posted by: Jammer on January 3rd, 2012 at 12:54 am
Great post. Keep them coming. Washington DC Sightseeing Tours.
Posted by: washington dc tours on January 3rd, 2012 at 4:25 am
Suddenly I found your site..You are sharing very useful information..dump them on my own website, showing the source of this information also really liked the blog.I hope you will continue to provide information
Posted by: seo on January 15th, 2012 at 9:08 pm
Thanks for this post. It is very useful. I hope you will write an article. This issue again.
Posted by: illslick on January 17th, 2012 at 6:22 am
Thanks for this post. It is very useful.
Posted by: Biggfirma stockholm on January 26th, 2012 at 12:52 am
DecorCraft Services has the qualified, licensed and bonded professionals with years of excellent reviews on their side to offer your next painting or decorating project. As proud members of the Painting and Decorating Association, we have the distinction of offering the best services for your home improvement desires, no matter the total size of the project. Our professionals are on hand today to offer a free, competitive quote for our services. Trust the DecorCraft Services name for your next project.
Posted by: Painting and Decorating on January 26th, 2012 at 8:41 pm