A CULTURAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL EXAMINATION OF RESILIENCE AND RESOLVE IN JAPAN

The Daruma doll, deeply entrenched in Japanese culture, is both a symbol of personal perseverance and a manifestation of the Buddhist ideals of Zen. Named after Bodhidharma (達磨), the founder of Zen Buddhism, the Daruma doll has evolved from religious iconography to become a ubiquitous cultural symbol, embodying resilience, good fortune, and spi