Yakuri Daruma

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Daruma from Yakuri 八栗だるま
八栗達磨 Yakuri Daruma
Takamatsu
(Yaguri)

The Temple Yakuri-ji, Nr. 85 of the Shikoku Pilgrimage
四国85番の八栗寺



Before introducing the Yakuri Daruma you have to know a little about this temple. It stands on the slopes of Mt. Goken 五剣山 (Mt. Five Swords). Today, the 376.5m mountain does have only four peaks looking like as many swords thrust into it. The 5th peak slid down in 1707 in a big earthquake. These sheer peaks used to provide an ideal place for rigorous asceticism, making Yakuri-ji into a sort of seminary for ascetics. Even today not a few people climb up and down the cliffs by the chains as an ascetic practise.

The temple has been founded in 829. According to the history of the temple, before Kobo Daishi went to China to study Buddhism, he climbed this mountain and prayed that his studies may be fruitful and his journey be safe. He made an offering to the guardian god of the mountain by burying eight roasted chestnuts in the ground. When he returned to Japan, he visited this temple again, and saw five swords fall from heaven (thus the name of the mountain) as well as eight trees growing up from the roasted chestnuts.
Thus the temple was named "yakuri (yaguri)," meaning "eight chestnuts".


Another attraction of this temple is Kanki-ten 歓喜天, a Buddhist guardian divinity enshrined in Shooten-doo Hall. Kanki-ten, meaning "gods in ecstasy", is actually an elephant-headed god and goddess in an inseparable embrace, a motif of Ganesh of Hindu iconography adopted along with Buddhism. They are believed to share their pleasure with their worshippers, also bringing them marital happiness, family well-being and success in business. They attaract many people when the fire ceremony is performed on the 1st and the 16th of every month, even though they are open to the public only once every 50 years.


Kukai, Kobo Daishi
弘法大師　空海 (Kuukai, Kooboo Daishi)


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五剣山の名は五つの峰が剣の尖のようにそびえ立っていることからつけられたが、元禄十一年（一六九八）の豪雨で西の峰が半分に割れ、宝永三年（一七〇六）の地震で東の峰が崩れ、現在は四峰になっている。寺は天長六年（八二九）の創建で、当初は千手観世音の小像を安置し、千手院と称していた。弘法大師は幼少のころよりこの山に登り、土で仏像などをつくられたが、後に求聞持の法を修されているとき五柄の利剣が虚空より降ってきたので五剣山と名づけ、山項からは八ヵ国が見えるので八国寺とし、大師が入唐前に植えた八個の焼き栗が、帰国後ことごとく生長繁茂していたので八栗寺に改めたという。本堂左手前の聖天堂には弘法大師作の歓喜天がまつられ、商売繁昌を願う信者で賑わっている。

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Yakuri Daruma, me-nashi Daruma 八栗目無しだるま
Daruma without eyes


© PHOTO : mumu.ocnk.net


Yakuri Daruma 八栗だるま



These papermachee dolls are hard to get and in April of this year, I had asked the owner of the Hisaroku Store if he could get one for me. He was so kind to talk to his doll friends in the area and one person was willing to part with one of his Daruma dolls from Yakuri. Thank you so much, unknown Daruma friend! Now I will take the chance to tell you a little more about this one.

This Daruma used to be made by Mr. Yasuo Urushibara since about 1960 as a talisman for the nearby Yakuri temple, but he died in 1978. The tradition stopped for a while but now the widow, Mrs. Chioko Urushibara, makes a few.

This one is about 14 cm high. His beard is painted in an individual form with single strokes. His eyebrows are like half-moons facing up, but he has no pupils painted in the white round eyes. On the belly you can see a rendering of Mt. Five Swords. On the bottom the Chinese letters for Chiyo 千代, his late wife, are written.


目無しの八栗だるまは漆原馬須雄さんに創られていましたが、昭和53年になくなると後継者もなく消えました。いまは未亡人の千代がすこしばかり作ります。髭の描き方が独特で、お腹に五剣山の模様が描かれています。

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On this HP about toys you can have a look at one Yakuri Daruma on the lowest picture. This one was sold at a store near the entrance of the cable car up the mountain, but now you cannot buy it there any more.
八栗だるま：八栗五剣山に登るケーブル乗り場のそばの「十河神具店」で、張子面とともに売られていましたが、現在は確認できていません。（制作者の漆原千代さんは明治３８年生まれです。）
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~SA9S-HND/agal-970-2.html



Some dolls from Takamatsu


© PHOTO : 全国郷土玩具の旅




. Papermachee and Clay Dolls from Takamatsu
高松張子と土人形


. Folk Toys from Kagawa .

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Daruma News ... だるまNEWS Vol. 18
Introducing SHIKOKU Daruma


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H A I K U


八栗寺の遅日の磴の緩急に

Yakuri-ji no chijistu no ishizaka no kankyuu ni

the steep stone slope
up to temple Yakuri-Ji -
days getting longer

Izawa Masae 井沢正江



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