Daruma Tattoo Meanings: Symbolism Explained by a 14th-Generation Daruma Maker

Apr 26, 2026 · Takaaki Watanabe

Daruma Tattoo Meanings: Symbolism Explained by a 14th-Generation Daruma Maker

The daruma tattoo has become one of the most popular Japanese-inspired tattoo designs worldwide. Walk into any tattoo studio in Tokyo, New York, Berlin, or São Paulo, and you'll find someone with a daruma on their arm, back, or chest. But what does it actually mean? And what should you know before getting one?

I'm Takaaki Watanabe, a 14th-generation Shirakawa Daruma maker. My family has been hand-painting daruma in Fukushima for over 300 years. This guide is what I tell people when they ask: "I'm thinking about a daruma tattoo. What should I know?"

The Core Meaning: Perseverance Through Anything

At its heart, a daruma tattoo means one thing: "Nana korobi ya oki" — "Fall seven times, rise eight."

The doll is named after Bodhidharma, the Buddhist monk who, according to legend, sat in meditation for nine years until his arms and legs withered. The daruma's roundness, its weighted base, its always-righting form — every aspect represents indomitable will.

If you're getting a daruma tattoo, this is the wish you're carrying on your skin. It's not a passive symbol. It's an active vow.

What the Specific Features Mean

The blank or one eye — Most daruma tattoos depict either both eyes blank, or one eye filled in. Each has a different meaning:

Both eyes blank: Goal not yet achieved. The wearer is still in the journey. Often chosen by people in the middle of a major life pursuit.
One eye filled (left): The wearer has set a goal and committed to it. The most popular version among tattoo seekers.
Both eyes filled: Goal achieved. A "victory tattoo" — gotten after a major life win.

The face symbols — A traditional Shirakawa-style daruma tattoo includes the five auspicious symbols: crane eyebrows (longevity), turtle beard (wisdom), pine cheeks (strength), bamboo wrinkles (resilience), plum brow (renewal). Many tattoo artists simplify these, but a true Shirakawa-style honor includes them.

Color Meanings in Daruma Tattoos

The color you choose for your daruma tattoo carries weight:

Red — Most traditional. Protection, courage, all-purpose perseverance.
Black — Modern, edgy. Often chosen for protection and stability themes.
Gold/Yellow — Wealth, prosperity. Common for entrepreneurs.
Blue — Knowledge, calm, deep focus. Popular among students and academics.
Green — Health, healing. Common after recovery from illness or addiction.
Purple — Self-improvement, spiritual journey.

Common Daruma Tattoo Designs and Their Meanings

1. Single Daruma (Traditional Red) — The most common. Signifies a current life goal.

2. Daruma with Cherry Blossoms — Renewal and the impermanence of time. Often gotten at major life transitions.

3. Daruma with Koi Fish — Combined symbolism: persistence (daruma) + transformation (koi swimming upstream becoming a dragon).

4. Daruma with Wave (Hokusai-style) — Resilience against the chaos of life.

5. Half-Burned Daruma — Powerful imagery: the daruma in flames, representing the Daruma Kuyō ceremony — the wish fulfilled and released. A "letting go" tattoo.

6. Daruma with Snake (Hebi) — Snake represents wisdom and transformation. Combined: persevering wisdom.

7. Bodhidharma Daruma (Realistic Monk Form) — The original. The actual monk Bodhidharma in meditation. More religious than the doll form.

Where to Place a Daruma Tattoo

Forearm — Most popular. Visible to yourself and others. The arm is also symbolic — daruma has no arms because Bodhidharma's withered. Some choose the arm intentionally, as if "completing" the daruma with their own.

Chest, near the heart — Personal, private. Often chosen for inner-strength meanings.

Back (full piece) — Traditional Japanese tattoo placement. Often a larger composition with waves, blossoms, or other symbols.

Calf or thigh — Hidden but personal. Common for those who want a private commitment.

Avoid: Hands, neck, face — for cultural reasons in Japan, these placements can carry yakuza associations and may complicate travel/employment.

Cultural Etiquette: What to Know Before You Get One

The daruma is sacred in Japan, but not in a way that forbids tattoos. The Japanese understanding is closer to: "If you get this, you should mean it."

Things to know:

Visit a real Japanese tattoo studio (or one experienced in irezumi) if possible. The wave patterns, color choices, and proportions matter.
Don't get a daruma tattoo just because it "looks cool." The tradition will see through that. Carry a real wish.
Consider getting it on a meaningful day. A birthday, an anniversary, the day after a major win.
If you have a daruma in your home, keep them connected. Some people get the tattoo at the same time they paint the second eye on their physical daruma.

Will Japanese People Be Offended?

Generally, no. Japanese culture has long been generous with sharing its symbols. A foreigner with a daruma tattoo, who can explain its meaning, is usually met with respect.

Where you might encounter friction:

Public bathhouses (sentō) and onsen often prohibit any tattoos — daruma included — for traditional reasons unrelated to cultural appropriation.
Conservative business contexts may view visible tattoos as unprofessional, but this is changing.

The biggest risk isn't offending Japanese people. It's getting the tattoo without understanding what it means — and then being asked to explain it.

Final Thought: Why I Still Recommend the Tattoo

I've made and painted thousands of daruma. I've watched people fill in the eyes and watched their lives change. The daruma works because it's a visible commitment.

A tattoo is the most visible commitment you can make. Whatever you wish for, whatever goal you're chasing — wearing the daruma on your skin keeps it in front of you, every day, for the rest of your life.

If you're going to get one, make sure the wish is worth carrying that long.

Featured Daruma

Bring home the daruma you've been reading about — each one is hand-painted in our Fukushima studio:

→ Browse all daruma

Continue Reading

Use code DARUMA10 for 10% off your first order.