My team and I were in Tokyo during the 3/11 earthquake. When Dan from Collectivegood.org approached us about designing a one-off skateboard deck for a Japan Benefit auction, I couldn't resist.

Martin Kay and I teamed up to design the deck and we had a little help with the laser-etching process from Gerry and Nathan in the IDEO shop.



Here's the statement Martin and I prepared to explain what the design is all about:

The Daruma is a traditional Japanese doll used to cast wishes. It starts off with blank eyes — and while making your wish, you paint in one of the eyes. When you wish comes true, you paint in the other, and at the end of the year, the wish-granting Daruma are burned at a temple.

Although Daruma are made of paper maché, they're bottom-weighted so they can't be knocked over. This is symbolic of strength and perseverance. The inscription, Nanakorobi yaoki (七転び八起き) roughly translates to "fall seven times, get up eight times".

We've painted in the left eye to wish for Japan's speedy recovery. Perhaps the future owner of this deck will decide to paint in the right eye at the appropriate time and burn it on New Year's Eve.

Aaron Shinn & Martin Kay
2011

Special Thanks to Nathan and Gerry at the IDEO shop.