What to do with a deceased person’s daruma?

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post, but it seemed the most general sub I could find apart from Japanlife – and I can’t post there as I’m not a resident.

UK resident, Japanese wife. We travel to Japan annually to see family and friends.

Lost my mother a fortnight ago and have confirmed with the Japanese embassy in London what I need to do to take some of her ashes there, given that she visited once with us and never stopped talking about it.

She also had a couple of daruma from her trip, half-sighted. I don’t know if her wishes ever came true or were fulfilled but now she has passed I wonder what traditionally is done?

I myself have taken mine to the temple at New Year’s if they have fulfilled their goals for burning, but I cannot find the customs relating to daruma belonging to a deceased individual – are the wishes considered ‘fulfilled’ if they are now at peace? Do they remain forever half-sighted as a reminder that not every desire comes true?

It’s not the end of the world, I’m happy that a small part of her will both get to see Japan again and remain there forever, but it would be fantastic if I could go one step further and do the right thing by the daruma!

Thanks in advance!

by bigshum

Leave a Reply
You May Also Like