Japan Fans: Uchiwa – Sensu – Tessen

Let’s explore the impressive uchiwa, sophisticated sensu and deadly tessen.

What if I told you there is a fan so small that you can hold it in your hand even when it’s fully open, yet it has a beautiful painting of 12 kinds of sushi with their names? I know, it sounds unbelievable, but that’s exactly what I found at a fan shop in Kyoto, where Emi, our lovely Japanese tour guide, took us on our sightseeing tour. 

Emi informed us that fans have a rich history in Japan, dating back to the 4th century. During that time, affluent individuals used fans not only to  cool themselves and ward off insects but also to conceal their emotions or their teeth when smiling. Starting from the 8th century, fans evolved into symbols of status and became essential accessories for kings and nobles. By the 12th century, samurai also adopted fans as part of their attire. Remarkably, during Japan’s war-torn period in the 15th and 16th centuries, fans even transformed into deadly weapons.

By the 17th century, fans had become a common sight in Japan, used by everyone from aristocrats to kabuki actors, geishas to ordinary folk. Fans were present in all aspects of life, from Shinto rituals to tea ceremonies, from folk dances to casual chats. Almost every Japanese person carried a fan, either in their hand or on their belt, and decorated it with various images of nature, people, and animals. Some fans even featured exquisite paintings, such as the “Autumn Farming” by Katsushika Isai. 

However, as Japan entered the modern era at the end of the 19th century, fans gradually lost their popularity and significance. But they did not vanish completely. They still play an important role in folk festivals, traditional art performances, and of course, everyday life.

Fixed fan: Uchiwa

Uchiwa is the oldest type of fan in Japan. The name “uchiwa” comes from the Japanese words for “fan” and “round”, but uchiwa can have many different shapes, such as oval, trapezoid, or even heart-shaped. Uchiwa are made of paper or cloth glued to a bamboo frame, which is attached to a handle. They may seem plain at first glance, but they hide many captivating tales behind them.

First, let me introduce you to the three distinct ways of crafting an uchiwa, each resulting in a different aesthetic appeal. The Boshu uchiwa, made from thin bamboo and paper, is delicate and refined. The Kyoto uchiwa, painted with exquisite designs, is sophisticated and graceful. The Marugame uchiwa, made from a single piece of bamboo and coated with persimmon tannin, is sturdy and impressive.

As the ancient capital of Japan, Kyoto has been a hub of culture and art for centuries. Here, fan-making is a family tradition, passed down from generation to generation. The fan handle and surface are crafted with skill and flair, following 87 meticulous steps to create a perfect uchiwa. Traditional Kyoto uchiwa is round, with a handle made of luxurious cedar or lacquered wood, adding a touch of elegance to this timeless accessory.

The ultimate expression of Kyoto uchiwa is the hollow fan. You may wonder what I mean by that. Well, imagine a fan with nothing but a bamboo frame, leaving a void in the middle. That’s a hollow fan, but of course, it’s not entirely empty. Some parts of the fan are adorned with paper or silk flowers and plants, creating a contrast between the solid and the hollow. The slender frame also creates an illusion of depth, making the picture on the fan come alive: leaves quiver in the breeze, flowers sway and birds flap their wings, ready to soar.

Unlike the delicate and refined Kyoto uchiwa, Marugame uchiwa have a sturdy and manly look. They owe their popularity to a clever marketing strategy by the priest of Konpira Temple, which sits atop Mount Zozu. In the early 17th century, he decided to write the word “gold” in black ink on a bright red fan from Edo (now Tokyo), and give it away to the temple visitors as a sign of prosperity. Well, who doesn’t want a prosperity fan, especially after sweating and panting up nearly 1,400 steps to reach the temple? So the fans became a hit, and everyone wanted one. The lucky supplier of these fans was the nearby town Marugame.

Marugame uchiwa used to be made from natural materials found on Shikoku island, such as slender bamboo from Ehime, delicate paper from Kochi, and strong glue from Tokushima. These fans became so popular in the late 19th century that the Marukame fan company switched from making small, round Edo-style uchiwa to large, oval Nara-style ones. This clever move not only boosted their production, but also conserved their resources, as one big bamboo stalk could yield many more fans than a small one.

Besides making a smart business move, the company also shaped the current Marugame uchiwa style: long flat handle, thick and sturdy frame, large oval, grapefruit, or paddle-shape surface. You name it, they have it. Their colors are also bold and cool, just like the fans themselves. And did you know that Marugame also makes 85% of the plastic uchiwa used in advertising in Japan? 

If you are curious about how a fan can feed a whole region, you should check out the Uchiwa-no-Minato museum in Marugame. There, you can marvel at the antique fans and watch the artisans work their magic. You can even make your own Marugame uchiwa and show it off to your friends. 

The Boshu uchiwa is the youngest and most delicate of the three types of fixed fans in Japan. It originates from Chiba, a region where bamboo grows abundantly and produces thin stems as thick as a thumb. It follows the Edo style: a single bamboo strip serves as both the handle and the frame, with one end split into 48 or 64 fine slivers. A cotton thread from a willow branch binds the slivers together and creates a graceful curve for the fan. 

The Boshu uchiwa is a canvas for art, often featuring ukiyo-e, the traditional Japanese woodblock prints. These prints depict scenes of the floating world, such as elegant women in kimonos, theatrical kabuki performers, or iconic landscapes like the famous “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” by Hokusai.

You may think that uchiwa are outdated and useless in the age of air conditioners and electric fans. But you are wrong, my friend! They are versatile tools that can enhance your life in many ways. For example, you can use them to cool sushi rice, start a barbecue fire, cool yourself in outdoor festivals, shade yourself from the sun, and advertise your business. Imagine a crazy hot festival, where everyone waves a fan with your company logo. Furthermore, attendees may take it home to use, and thus the advertising opportunity increases. How economical, effective, and eco-friendly! 

Advertising uchiwa are so powerful that they even renamed a festival: the annual procession to Yasaka Shrine in Kumagaya became known as “Uchiwa Matsuri” (Fan Festival) because merchants started handing out free fans to lure customers in the early 20th century. Now, every July, about 750,000 people flock to the festival, where they marvel at the magnificent portable shrines and wave the branded fans. 

Folding Fan: Sensu

When paper was still a scarce commodity in Japan, the Japanese nobility and courtiers used to write on thin slices of cypress wood. They joined these wooden notes with strings and fanned them out like a half-moon. This clever invention not only made their writing easier to see, but also served as a handy fan to cool themselves or hide their faces. As time went by, the folding fan hiogi became a must-have accessory for the aristocrats. They decorated them with beautiful paintings and poems, and even swapped cypress for sandalwood to add a pleasant scent.

To create a lighter fan, people slim down the slats and cover them with paper or silk: a sensu was created. In Kyoto, artisans craft fans with many slats that form delicate, graceful folds in vivid, refined colors. These Kyo-sensu are beloved by women and used widely in Noh theater, geisha dances, and tea ceremonies. In contrast, artisans of Edo style make fans with fewer and thicker slats in bold and striking colors. These sensu produce a crisp, strong sound when folded, making them popular among men and suitable for festive occasions.

Sensu are not only practical, but also symbolic gifts for various occasions. For birthdays, parents present their children with fans adorned with flax leaves, wishing them a healthy and strong life like the flax plant. For the elderly, fans featuring turtles and cranes are given, symbolizing longevity and grace. 

In Noh theater, fans are used to express the personality and mood of each character, with different designs and colors. The maiko and geiko of Kyoto change their dancing fans to match the seasonal beauty of their surroundings. Fans with a modern flair are also eye-catching, such as the “Galaxy” sensu by artist Yoshikura, which captures the dazzling splendor of the cosmos.

With just a sensu, a scarf, and a lively voice, a rakugo artist can entertain and enchant the audience. Rakugo is a form of storytelling that dates back to the 17th century, where the performer uses language and gestures to create humorous, spooky, sarcastic, or emotional scenes. Sensu is a versatile prop that can represent anything from a pen, chopsticks, scissors, to a plate, a letter, or a wine bottle. Rakugo has experienced a resurgence since 2005, and according to a 2015 survey by Hapiken, one in four Japanese people have tried rakugo – a remarkable popularity for a traditional art.

Another fascinating use of sensu is tosenkyo. This game was invented by Japanese aristocrats in the 8th century, when they saw how elegant it looked when a fan was tossed at a butterfly resting on a wooden pillow. They devised 54 different poses of the butterfly and the fan, and competed to see who could make the most beautiful ones. There are many schools of tosenkyo, each with its own set of poses named after the characters from The Tale of Genji, a masterpiece of Japanese literature from the 11th century, comparable to The Tale of Kieu in Vietnam.

War Fans: Gunbai and Tessen

These war fans are a unique feature of Japan. As their name suggests, these two fans were wielded in battle during the Warring States period (15th – 16th centuries), when lords clashed over land and power.

The first one is gunbai – the signal fan. It is an oval uchiwa, heavy and solid, with a wooden surface embedded with silver, copper or iron and a metal handle. The gunbai’s surface often displays images of the sun, moon or family crest. The commanders used gunbai from a high vantage point to direct the soldiers’ movements according to the battle formation. Today, sumo wrestling referees still use gunbai to indicate and declare the winner of the match.

Because sensu was essential for samurai to show their noble status, they transformed it into formidable weapons for self-defense. The edge of the fan was made of hard precious wood or metal, capable of blocking swords, defending and attacking. When the fan slats were metal, the fan opened up into a shield to fend off arrows, knives and concealed weapons. The innocent-looking rope dangling from the fan’s body was actually a tool to snatch weapons or strangle enemies when needed. This lethal fan was known as a tessen.

Besides the classic Kenjutsu swordsmanship, many generations of samurai created a martial art using tessen named Tessen-jutsu. Japanese history books mention that General Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543 – 1616), who reunified Japan at the beginning of the 17th century after a long period of civil war, was very skilled at tessen-jutsu. He always carried with him a large and impressive tessen.

Through war and peace, Japanese fans have always fulfilled their role of bringing comfort and companionship. This enduring truth has allowed the Japanese fans to survive for over a millennium and continue to evolve as long as they preserve this noble quality.

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