The history of the fan is said to date back to the early Heian period (794-1192), approximately 1,200 years ago. It is said that the first fan was made by closing one end of a wooden letter, which was used as a writing utensil at that time, with a string, which is called "hinoki-fan" and originated in Japan.
Next, "paper fans" made of bamboo and paper were produced, and various types of Kyo-fans were created for court use, Noh, dance, tea ceremony, incense, and other purposes.
Because of its infinitely spreading "suehagari" shape, the fan is considered auspicious and is worn on occasions such as weddings, funerals, and the seven-five-three-three festivals. It is said that a Kyo Sensu goes through the hands of a craftsman 87 times, and in the production process, there are craftsmen for each process, such as the overglaze painting, fan face, and fan bone, and a division of labor is in place. The presence of specialists in each of these areas is the reason why high-quality products are produced in a comprehensive manner. Kyo Senshi accounts for about 90% of the total production of folding fans in Japan.
Kyoto City is located in the southern part of Kyoto Prefecture, the capital of the prefecture, and is designated as an ordinance-designated city. In the center of the city, Oji-oji streets run east-west, north-south, and south in a grid-like pattern. 14 World Heritage Sites, including the former detached palace Nijo Castle, and over 2,000 Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples are scattered throughout the city.
In addition to being a historical city, it is also a tourist destination that attracts visitors from all over Japan and the world, an academic research city with a concentration of world-class research institutions, including universities and junior colleges, and an environmentally advanced city that offers a model for low-carbon, recycling-oriented urban development.
In Kyoto, there are various festivals held in various regions and at various times of the year, including the three major festivals of Kyoto, the Gion Festival, the Aoi Festival, and the Jidai Festival, as well as the Gozan Okuribi (Bon festival), which is said to have spread from the Muromachi period (1336-1573) as an event to send off spirits during the Obon festival, and the Kurama no Hi-Matsuri (Kurama Fire Festival), which fills the Kurama village in the fall with excitement. Kurama is known as the "Bonfire of the Five Mountains.
Please consider commemorative gifts using“Kyoto Fan”.
We accept a variety of requests,
including letterhead sets and Japanese paper accessories,
as well as items such as the souvenir example.
It is said that fans were created in the early Heian period. It is said that a wooden fan, called a "hinoki fan," was made by closing one end of a wooden letter, which was used as a writing utensil at that time, with a string and carrying it around, and that this was the beginning of the fan.
In the middle of the Heian period (794-1185), a fan with five bones covered with paper appeared, which was called a "kawahori" fan because it resembled a bat with its wings spread. Later, fans were exported to China during the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and spread to other parts of the world, and then to Europe during the Edo period (1603-1868).
After the Muromachi period (1333-1573), with the development of the incense ceremony, tea ceremony, and dance, fans were made for each. In Europe, fans were made with silk instead of paper and with pearls embedded in the bone, and were loved by women of the aristocratic class. Later, they were reimported to Japan and "silk fans" were created.
Please consider commemorative gifts using“Kyoto Fan”.
We accept a variety of requests,
including letterhead sets and Japanese paper accessories,
as well as items such as the souvenir example.