Sarubobo – baby good luck charm from Japan

Takayama, the homeland of Life cotton swabs, is one of the most popular tourist attraction in Japan which also known as “Little Kyoto of Gifu”. The hundreds years old street with fresh air and calm surrounding is not only an ideal place for a peaceful holiday but also be the land of endless culture discovery. The city also famed for its mascot Sarubobo, the adorable red doll that we proudly show in the package of Life “Baby Charm” product.

In Japanese, “Saru” means “monkey” while bobo means “baby”, so “sarubobo” is baby monkey. Traditionally, sarubobos are made by grandmothers for their grandchildren as dolls, and for their daughters as a charm for good marriage, good children and to ensure a well-rounded couple.

Literally, “Sarubobo” associated with 3 main wishes:

To protect from bad things
A happy home
Having an easy delivery on birth.

Original Sarubobo is a red human shape doll with no face, but in Takayama souvernir shops, visitors may see numeruous of Sarubobo in the style of Kitty, Doraemon, Spider Man or bride-groom…
You may wonder why it is faceless. No one sure about the reason, but many people guess that the absence of face enables you to imagine upon your mood. When you are happy, you think it is smiling. When you feel down, you may see a sad face as a way of sharing emotion.