Japan is famous for its eerie urban legends, from Kuchisake-onna (the Slit-Mouthed Woman) to Okiku, the haunted doll that grows hair. But there is a lesser-known story, passed down through whispered folklore, about a mysterious Daruma doll with the unsettling ability to “give birth.”

The story begins with a young woman named Emiko, living in the rural countryside of Japan. One day, she stopped by an antique shop and purchased an old, worn-out Daruma doll that seemed to have been through many years. The shop owner gave her a strange look before saying:

“Remember, don’t leave it alone for too long.”

Emiko paid little attention to the warning and brought the doll home.

At first, nothing unusual happened. But after just a few weeks, she started noticing smaller dolls randomly appearing in her house. At first, there was only one. Then two. Then three… Each morning, she would find a new tiny doll scattered on the floor, on the table, even on her bed.

These smaller dolls looked identical to the original Daruma, except each one gradually gained a new feature—one had arms, another had legs, and yet another had wide, staring eyes…

Terrified, Emiko decided to throw the original doll away. But the next morning, it reappeared on her bookshelf—along with a new doll.

She sought out a monk in the village and told him everything. After listening, the monk remained silent for a while before finally saying:

“These dolls are not mere objects. They have absorbed some kind of soul and continue to multiply. If you don’t stop it in time, they will take over all your space.”

That very day, the monk performed a sealing ritual on the doll. Then, they took it to a remote shrine deep in the mountains and left it there. From that moment on, Emiko never saw the strange dolls again.

However, some say that on nights of the full moon, if you go to that shrine and listen carefully, you might hear the faint murmurs of dolls whispering to each other…

Origins of the Story

Daruma dolls are a traditional symbol of Japan, representing perseverance and good luck. They are modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, and are often depicted without arms or legs to symbolize the spirit of “fall down seven times, get up eight.”

However, stories of haunted dolls are deeply embedded in Japanese folklore. Famous examples include Okiku, the doll said to grow real human hair, and the cursed Kokeshi dolls, all sharing a common theme of supernatural occurrences.

The legend of the “childbearing Daruma doll” has been circulating on urban legend forums in Japan, much like other ghost stories. Some possible inspirations include:

• “Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things” by Lafcadio Hearn – a collection of Japanese ghost tales.
• Horror manga by Junji Ito – known for exploring eerie phenomena related to dolls, body mutations, and vengeful spirits.

So, is this story real? Or just another urban legend spun from someone’s imagination? No one knows for sure. But if you ever find a doll suddenly appearing in your house… maybe you should think twice.

Do you believe in this legend?

Have you ever heard a similar story? Share your thoughts! 😈