HALLOWEEN EDITION | THE ENCHANTED TEA ROOM

Daruma is widely recognised as a symbol of good luck and encouragement. Its iconic design appears not only on traditional Daruma dolls but also on everyday items such as tableware, stationery, textiles, and home décor. Featuring Daruma on daily objects is a way to celebrate Japanese culture while carrying a reminder of resilience and positive thinking.

The Daruma represents perseverance, success, and never giving up. Its rounded shape allows it to return upright when tipped over, reflecting the Japanese proverb:

"Fall down seven times, stand up eight."

For this reason, Daruma are often displayed to encourage strength, optimism, and determination when pursuing personal or professional goals.

A Daruma (達磨) is a traditional Japanese good luck charm that symbolises perseverance, determination, and achieving goals. Inspired by Bodhidharma, the Buddhist monk traditionally credited with founding Zen Buddhism, Daruma dolls have been cherished in Japan for centuries as symbols of resilience and good fortune.

Chōjū-giga (鳥獣戯画) is a celebrated series of historic Japanese picture scrolls, famous for playful scenes of rabbits, frogs, monkeys, and other animals behaving like people. The earliest sections date to around the 12th century.

Rabbits and frogs are among the most recognisable characters in Chōjū-giga. They appear running, wrestling, playing, and taking part in human-like activities, giving the artwork its distinctive humour and lively character.

A Yunomi (湯のみ) is a traditional Japanese tea cup designed for everyday tea drinking. Unlike formal tea ceremony bowls, Yunomi are made for daily use and are commonly enjoyed with green tea, hojicha, genmaicha, and other Japanese teas. Their comfortable shape makes them suitable for both hot and cold beverages.

Both Yunomi and Chawan are traditional Japanese tea vessels, but they are designed for different styles of tea.

A Yunomi (湯のみ) is a tall, handleless cup made for everyday tea drinking and is commonly used for green tea, sencha, hojicha, and genmaicha.

A Chawan (茶碗) is a wider, open bowl specifically designed for preparing and drinking matcha during the Japanese tea ceremony, allowing enough space for whisking the tea with a bamboo whisk.

In short, Yunomi is for everyday tea, while Chawan is for matcha.