Daruma doll

This Daruma 達磨 doll decorates one of the student flats in Leiden. Though seemingly a mere prop inside someone’s home, it embodies more than many would imagine.

The owner of the doll came to the Netherlands a few years ago from China to study for a doctorate degree. The differences between the Netherlands and China are significant. If one were to roam the streets in Beijing and Amsterdam, there would be few cultural similarities to be seen.

“When I came here, there were not many recognizable things. Then one weekend there was a cultural festival in the centre of town where Japanese culture was celebrated. I felt a sense of recognition and wanted to check it out. It was there where I bought this doll.”

Besides having a few Chinatowns in the larger cities, the Netherlands does not have much that breathes East Asia. Leiden does, however, being a city with a strong affinity with East Asia through its East Asian studies programme, as well as the Von Siebold museum. Ever since the Japanese emperor visited Leiden in 2000, the Von Siebold museum has organized a Japan market in Leiden every year. https://www.sieboldhuis.org/over/japanmarkt

Whilst strolling around Leiden, the soon-to-be owner of this Daruma doll saw many objects he recognized. Growing up in China, he had seen similar dolls before and knew the symbolic meaning behind it. Japanese soft power has been influencing neighboring countries as well as other nations around the globe for many years through anime, games, etc. through the Cool Japan strategy.Cool Japan Strategy Public-Private Collaboration Initiative, Cool Japan Strategy Promotion Council, Cabinet Office, 2015, https://www.cao.go.jp/cool_japan/english/pdf/published_document2.pdf For our PhD-student this object embodied a form of recognition.

This Daruma doll has one eye painted in. When you buy one of these dolls, the eyes are completely white. Why is that so? Well, the idea behind the Daruma doll is that when you make a wish, you color in the left eye. Once the wish has come true, you color in the right eye to thank Daruma. https://www.welovedaruma.com/en/about_daruma.html

“I decorated the left eye, but have not colored the right one. I will do it when my wish is fulfilled. It has not been fulfilled as of yet, and I have had the doll for a few years already.”

Hopefully his wish will be fulfilled soon and he can color in the other eye as well!