Sarubobo
Encyclopedia
A is a Japan
ese amulet
, particularly associated with the town
of Takayama
in Gifu Prefecture
. Sarubobos are red human-shaped
dolls, with no facial features, made in a variety of sizes. Traditionally, sarubobos are made by grandmothers for their grandchildren as doll
s, and for their daughters as a charm for good marriage, good children and to ensure a well-rounded couple.
as "a baby monkey". The Japanese word for monkey is "saru", and the word for baby in the dialect of Takayama is "bobo".
There are several reasons why the amulet has this name. The sarubobo is associated with three wishes;
In Japanese, the English
word "leave" translates as "saru", so possession of a sarubobo means that bad things will "saru"
In Japanese, a happy home is "kanai enman", a good match is "ryo-en" (Another way of saying "saru" is "en".)
Monkeys' childbirth is easy.
The face of the sarubobo is traditionally red, as is the face of baby monkeys.
Another suggestion is that the absence of a face allows the owner to imagine it - when the owner is sad, they can imagine their sarubobo to be sad too.
, and are available in many different colours and shapes from souvenir shops. There is even a Hello Kitty
doll dressed as a sarubobo.
The differently coloured sarubobos are each associated with different wishes;
There is also a differently-shaped sarubobo called a "tobibobo."
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese amulet
Amulet
An amulet, similar to a talisman , is any object intended to bring good luck or protection to its owner.Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants and animals; even words said in certain occasions—for example: vade retro satana—, to...
, particularly associated with the town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Takayama
Takayama, Gifu
is a city located in Gifu, Japan. As of July, 2011 the city has an estimated population of 92,369. The total area is .Takayama was settled as far back as the Jōmon period. Takayama is best known for its inhabitants' expertise in carpentry. It is believed carpenters from Takayama worked on the...
in Gifu Prefecture
Gifu Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...
. Sarubobos are red human-shaped
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
dolls, with no facial features, made in a variety of sizes. Traditionally, sarubobos are made by grandmothers for their grandchildren as doll
Doll
A doll is a model of a human being, often used as a toy for children. Dolls have traditionally been used in magic and religious rituals throughout the world, and traditional dolls made of materials like clay and wood are found in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe. The earliest documented dolls...
s, and for their daughters as a charm for good marriage, good children and to ensure a well-rounded couple.
The name "sarubobo"
Sarubobo literally translated from the JapaneseJapanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
as "a baby monkey". The Japanese word for monkey is "saru", and the word for baby in the dialect of Takayama is "bobo".
There are several reasons why the amulet has this name. The sarubobo is associated with three wishes;
- Protection from bad things.
In Japanese, the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
word "leave" translates as "saru", so possession of a sarubobo means that bad things will "saru"
- A happy home, a good match
In Japanese, a happy home is "kanai enman", a good match is "ryo-en" (Another way of saying "saru" is "en".)
- Having an easy delivery on birth.
Monkeys' childbirth is easy.
The face of the sarubobo is traditionally red, as is the face of baby monkeys.
The reason why sarubobo has no face
Sarubobo dolls and charms usually have no facial features. The reasons for this are unclear, but some have been suggested. One suggestion is that, originally, sarubobos were made from left over cloth and made by relatives, so there was no need for them to be completely accurate.Another suggestion is that the absence of a face allows the owner to imagine it - when the owner is sad, they can imagine their sarubobo to be sad too.
Modern sarubobo
Nowadays, sarubobo are a popular souvenir in TakayamaTakayama
Takayama may refer to:*Takayama, Gifu, a city**Takayama Castle**Takayama Station, a railway station*Takayama, Gunma, a village*Takayama, Nagano, a village*Takayama Main Line, a railway lineTakayama is a Japanese surname:...
, and are available in many different colours and shapes from souvenir shops. There is even a Hello Kitty
Hello Kitty
is a fictional character produced by the Japanese company Sanrio, first designed by Yuko Shimizu. She is portrayed as a female white Japanese bobtail cat with a red bow. The character's first appearance on an item, a vinyl coin purse, was introduced in Japan in 1974 and brought to the United States...
doll dressed as a sarubobo.
The differently coloured sarubobos are each associated with different wishes;
- Blue sarubobo - for luck in study and work
- Pink sarubobo - for luck in love
- Green sarubobo - for luck in health
- Yellow sarubobo - for luck in money
- Black sarubobo - to remove bad luck
There is also a differently-shaped sarubobo called a "tobibobo."