Handmade ideas to create and play the traditional Japanese game “Daruma Otoshi”!

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: spinning-top tricks.

Daruma-otoshi, a traditional Japanese game that has long been loved.

There’s a theory that it’s considered lucky because, unlike the classic roly-poly daruma that rises when it falls, in this game you try to keep the daruma from toppling.

It helps build concentration and fine motor skills, and the more you practice, the better you get—making it fun for both children and adults.

We’ve gathered ideas for making your own daruma-otoshi using familiar materials.

Try making it with your kids and enjoy playing together!

Make and Play the Traditional Japanese Game “Daruma Otoshi”! DIY Ideas (11–20)

Daruma-otoshi with empty boxes

@omiyamichinoko
We made a New Year’s Daruma-otoshi toy. First, the teachers gave it a try!#Omiya Michinoko Nursery School #Daruma Otoshi Daruma Daruma #NewYearGames #fyp
LEAP HIGH! ~To Tomorrow, With All We've Got~ – PRODUCE 101 JAPAN THE GIRLS

Knock them down with a stick and have fun! Here’s a daruma-otoshi you can make with boxes.

What you’ll need: five empty boxes of the same size, one slightly larger empty box for the daruma’s head, colored construction paper, an oil-based marker to draw the daruma’s face, and a stick to use for the game.

How to make it: First, cover the five same-size boxes with colored construction paper in any colors you like.

For the slightly larger box that will be the head, cover it with white paper and draw the daruma’s face with an oil-based marker.

Stack the five boxes and place the daruma head on top—that’s it! Play by knocking out the boxes with the stick, just like the traditional daruma-otoshi game.

Adjust the box sizes to suit the age of the players.

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kepiko

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Daruma-otoshi you can play with in a shuttle case

@user305091578703
#Badminton Shuttle Case Daruma Otoshi
Sakura (Chorus) – Ketsumeishi

Are you familiar with a shuttle case? It’s a case used to carry shuttlecocks for badminton, and there are long, tube-shaped ones as well.

Let’s try playing a daruma-otoshi game using these shuttle cases.

Stack the shuttle cases and strike them.

Of course, use a shuttle case as the mallet, too.

If you don’t have a shuttle case on hand, a container for tube-shaped potato chips might work as a substitute.

It’s also fun to customize by attaching construction paper to the side of the tube and drawing illustrations or adding stickers.

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Nakajima Junko

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Paper cup Daruma otoshi

@murashi_hotel
Let's try the paper cup challenge!Focus Daruma-otoshi style Translation Translation Translation Video Translation Interesting Isao #CollabWanted
Adventure – YOASOBI

Let’s make a simple Daruma Otoshi using paper cups.

Take plain paper cups—white or brown without any patterns—and draw illustrations or write letters on them.

After making several, stack the cups, but be sure to place a sheet of paper between each cup.

Normally, in Daruma Otoshi you strike the pieces to knock them out without letting the top Daruma fall.

However, by inserting paper between the cups, you can create a version where you pull out the paper sheets to play.

It takes a bit of technique to pull the paper, but this fresh twist on Daruma Otoshi is sure to be exciting.

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Nakajima Junko

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PET bottle daruma-otoshi

@aono_saiyou
PET bottle daruma-otoshi#Daruma Otoshi Treat Battle #PETBottleChallenge
♬ A warm everyday BGM(856949) – MASK G

Have fun with plastic bottles! Here’s how to make a Daruma Otoshi-style game.

What you’ll need: a plastic bottle filled with water, tape of the same size to knock out, and a ruler.

The method is simple: stack layers of tape and place the water-filled plastic bottle on top.

Use the ruler to strike and knock the bottle down like in Daruma Otoshi.

Key point: prepare tape (or similar items) that are just the right size for the bottle to sit snugly.

You can also substitute anything sturdy enough to support the bottle’s weight instead of tape—get creative and enjoy!

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kepiko

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Daruma Otoshi you can play with a paper shuriken

@30yamada
Daruma-otoshi with paper shuriken#Daruma Otoshi
♬ New Genesis – UTA from ONE PIECE FILM RED – Ado

Fun for kids and adults alike! Here’s a game where you knock down stacked “daruma” using an origami shuriken.

You’ll need cardboard, a figurine for the top, a paper shuriken made from origami, and colored construction paper.

To make it: first assemble the cardboard into squares.

Decorate the outside with colored paper however you like.

Fold an origami shuriken, stack the assembled cardboard pieces, and place the figurine on top—that’s it.

Use the paper shuriken to knock down the stacked cardboard and topple the figurine.

Adding a time limit or playing in teams makes it even more fun, so be sure to make it and give it a try!

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kepiko

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In conclusion

The charm of traditional Japanese games is drawing attention from people around the world. In this digital age, Daruma-otoshi—a game you can physically touch and enjoy through your senses—is loved in part for its simple rules. It’s fun for both children and adults, so after making one by hand with your kids, be sure to give it a try. It’s also great to try crafting it with different materials.