Bunsendo
Sensu
“The Beauty of Folds”
The most common use of a Sensu fan is to make a breeze when it is a hot day. Sensu fans are also used for Nihon Buyo (classical Japanese dance), Rakugo (comical storytelling), Ozashiki (Geisha banquets), and tea ceremony. The most common size of a Sensu fan is 22.7 centimeters (9 inches) in length for men and 19.7 centimeters (7.7 inches) for women.
Roots
When paper was very rare and precious (during the Heian period, from 794 to 1185), people wrote on wooden tags. The wooden tags were bundled with thread and it looked like a fan when it was spread out.
Thatʼs how Sensu fans started. Sensu fans used to be used exclusively among the nobility.
In the Edo period, common people started to use Sensu fans. However, flashy designs were not preferred in Edo, and the simple Edo-style design became established.
Edo-style of Sensu
The Edo-style of Sensu fans is not clearly defined, but in comparison to the Kyoto-style, it lacks a pattern on the front. Sumi-e (dark ink painting) is more common than colors, and the number of ribs (also called bones) is fewer, so it is not as ornate.
With those limitations, the Edo style came to express a playful spirit of the common people.
This playful spirit is still present in Asakusa.
Relationship with Asakusa
Asakusa used to be the largest downtown area in Japan. There were many theaters and playhouses, and Asakusa was known as an entertainment town.
Of course, many actors, entertainers, and storytellers lived in Asakusa. There were many Sensu fan shops in Asakusa to meet the demand. Also, during festivals, it is common for people to carry custom-made Sensu fans representing their town.
Materials
Japanese Sensu fans are made with Japanese paper and bamboo. We have to use Japanese paper because the bamboo ribs will be inserted within the paper.
It is necessary to have the property of Japanese paper which is split in the middle. There is also a reason we need to use bamboo. Bamboo has a characteristic of bending with heat. The outside ribs are bent slightly inward, so it will make a snapping sound when it closes.
How a Japanese Sensu fan closes demonstrates how it is the most beautiful among any fans.
The beauty of how it fits together – that’s probably how Japanese people determine its worth.
Design
There are so many designs for Sensu fans.
Mai Ohgi is a style of Sensu fan that has a very specific design. It is used for Nihon Buyo (classical Japanese dance). Cherry blossom, Mt. Fuji, and Japanese scenery are among the popular designs for foreign tourists.
There is no rule on how to choose a design. Since the shape of a Sensu fan is often likened to the end of a long road, it is often bought as a gift for good luck and congratulations.
“Suehirogari” means “spreading from top to bottom”, just like how the fan looks when opened.
The fanʼs shape is a symbol of eternal prosperity.
Process
There are 88 steps to make a Sensu fan, including making Japanese paper and cutting bamboo.
At my shop, we paint the designs and assemble the Sensu fan. Each shop makes Sensu differently.
Each shop has a different folding width and different bamboo sizes. The patterns of the Sensu fan are the most important component of our work.
Sensu fan shop owners are said to escape with their patterns in the event of a fire. Thatʼs how important they are. Every step is very small and detailed. Every step is done by hand. I think thatʼs how all traditional crafts are made in Japan.
Our values
ARAI Ryota
We value meeting our customers’ expectations.
I think the reason we have been around for so long is that we value our customers’ requests, which can apply to any of the processes at our house; making the box from wood, arranging the fabric, the carving technique, and everything else.
After you return home you can show your original box to your friends and tell them about your experience at Hakocho, and if your friends want to visit us, I would be very happy.
