Aloha kakou!
This Saturday's release focuses on a familiar object that you've more than likely seen in almost every local resident's home, the Daruma doll. This one is a salute of sorts to our Japanese residents whom have played a significant role in helping building up Hawai'i as it is today, right alongside the Hawaiians, Filipinos, Chinese, etc. The significance of the Daruma doll goes back to a Buddhist monk named Bodhidharma, the father and founder of the Zen order of Buddhism, which depicts what Bodhidharma looked like. The Daruma doll is a symbol of good luck for the Japanese; the big round, white eyes are used to track goals, desires and wishes. When an individual buys a daruma, they normally will find the daruma with white, empty eyes. Upon arriving at home or work, one will paint in one of the eyes, but leave the second empty. Once the individual's goal has been achieved, the second eye will be painted in as well. The Japanese call this Both eyes open, the second eye finally open represents the realization of an achieved goal, victory or wish.
The pack features a tee featuring a red portrait of the infamous Daruma doll on a black tee with the first eye already open for you. The hat that releases alongside the tee is an all white Slaps Wind which features a red Hawaiian flag topped off with a white button. This represents the Japanese flag, where the red is a representation of the rising sun. These hats are limited to only 36 pieces, so you know what needs to be done!
