[Snowman in Japan (Yuki-Daruma)]
"Snowmen" are a winter tradition. When snow piles up, don't you make a "snowman"? We Japanese call snowman "yuki-daruma." The "daruma" in "yuki-daruma" refers to the Buddhist monk, Daruma. Daruma is regarded as the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism, which spread the teaching of "zazen" (sitting meditation). Daruma brought Zen Buddhism to China, which in turn greatly influenced the Rinzai and Soto sects in Japan and other religions in Japan. "Daruma" means "dharma" in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India, and is said to represent the root of Buddhism.
Daruma's doll, "okiagari-koboshi," was introduced from China in the Muromachi period (1336-1573). The doll was made to resemble the indomitable spirit of Daruma Daishi, and because the doll was weighted and would get up even if knocked down, the phrase "seven falls, eight rises" was also coined. The white-eyed "meire-daruma" seen during the year-end and New Year's holidays is a good-luck charm in which a person prays and puts in his left eye, and when the prayer is fulfilled, he puts in his right eye as well, a custom that has continued since the Edo period (1603-1868).
Japanese snowmen are made by overlapping two snowballs, one for the head and the other for the body. Ceramic Japan's Shuki Daruma is a sake container made directly from such a snowman. The set includes a tokkuri and two sake cups, and comes in two types: "Glazed," which looks like the smooth surface of ice, and "Bisque," which looks like fluffy snow. You can enjoy your favorite sake in a way that suits the season: hot in winter while watching the snow, cool in summer with chilled sake. And this snowman will not melt in a warm room. Have a wonderful holiday season!
Ceramic Japan's Shuki Daruma
https://www.shokunin.com/en/ceramicjapan/daruma.html
References
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/雪だるま
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/達磨
https://true-buddhism.com/history/daruma/