A Japanese Daruma doll in wood with drawers, by Shigeru Akizuki
Variations on boxes within boxes, by Shigeru Akizuki

Wooden container for wood samples, by Shigeru Akizuki

Folding box with traditional Daruma dolls inside, in three stages, by Shigeru Akizuki
Four drawers with Japanese masks inside, by Shigeru Akizuki
Aren’t these dolls and boxes fabulous?! They were all designed and illustrated by Japanese packaging designer Shigeru Akizuki.
I absolutely love objects with little compartments and drawers. And I’m especially fond of the dolls and box sets that feature the Japanese Daruma doll motif. I grew up with this familiar face. And it has a pretty rich history which includes Daruma, the Father of Zen Buddhism, and a Japanese tradition of good luck.
What I also find interesting is that the majority of these boxes and dolls were self-promotion pieces for the designer. Could you imagine having something as cool as one of these pieces to give out to clients?
Mary Maru
MARY,
(CAPS ARE NOT YELLING, EASIER TO SEE)
I STUMBLED UPON YOUR WEBSITE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT CAUSES THE SLIGHT RATTLE INSIDE MY DARUMA DOLL… I FIND THAT STUMBLING UPON YOUR SIDE MAY BE A BIT OF “FATE”…WHY…I AM A NATIVE NY’ER (ORANGE COUNTY) I VISITED THE CLOISTERS MUSEUM WHEN I WAS STILL IN EITHER MIDDLE OR HIGH SCHOOL…I WAS FASCINATED WITH THE LIFE THAT THE NUNS MUST HAVE LIVED & THOUGHT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE LIVED LIKE THAT…I STILL THINK THAT THOUGHT VERY FREQUENTLY…ANOTHER “ASPECT” IS THAT THE WOOD DARUMA DOLL ON YOUR SITE IS OFTEN HOW I SEE MANY THINGS COULD BE USED TO SAVE SPACE WHILE STILL BEING AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, PRACTICAL, & PURPOSEFUL… I ALSO SEE RED ROCK CANYON ON YOUR BLOG…I WAS OUT THERE ALMOST 4-5 YEARS AGO AND FIRST TRULY DISCOVERED THE SOUTHWEST MORE INTIMATELY STARTING IN 2005…
HAVE YOUR READ THE BOOKS BY JAMES REDFIELD… http://www.celestinevision.com/
I WISH YOU CONTINUED HAPPINESS & JOY ON YOUR JOURNEY~
NAMASTE~
SABRINA