我慢 (gaman — patient endurance) is central to Japanese identity. In the aftermath of disasters and hardship, Japanese people are praised internationally for their 我慢 — stoic, dignified endurance without complaint. 七転び八起き (nana korobi ya oki — fall seven, rise eight) is Japan's most famous proverb about resilience, often depicted as a Daruma doll that always rights itself.