Gifu, Japan Dec. 22 Sun 2:21PM
Throughout almost all countries and cultures, you can find charms, amulets, and trinkets of some sort that are meant to bring luck, protection, or fortune to those who hold it. Though the form and specific beliefs can be different, good luck charms are found widely. If you're a collector of these charms, then you're sure to find something, and they also make great souvenir gifts of your travels. Japan is no exception, and while you can find things that are prevalent throughout the country, there are also specific charms specific to a region of Japan.
Sarubobo is an omamori, lucky charm, found in Gifu Prefecture, but found prevalent in Takayama.
The dolls are quite cute looking, human-shaped with no faces. Ok...maybe describing it actually sounds quite terrifying and doesn't do it justice, but seeing them you'll know what I mean.
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Sarubobo translates to "monkey baby" as saru means monkey and bobo can mean baby, and although the doll doesn't much resemble a monkey, the name is relevant for a few reasons. With Japanese, words can have different meanings based on the kanji, and saru can also mean to leave, as in warding off bad luck. Originally, the charms were made from the maternal side of a family to be passed onto daughters for a successful marriage, good fertility, and an easy childbirth. Their faces were red, as is a baby monkeys and monkeys were said to have easy childbirths. Now in days, you can find sarubobo in a variety of colors for different lucks and protections, pink for love and black for blocking evil, although the most common type you will most likely encounter is the red one.
If you're in Gifu or more specifically Takayama, this maybe an adorable and culturally relevant item to pick up for yourself or for someone else! Just make sure you read the meanings of each color before making your pick!
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