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Simple and Beautiful Way of Feeling Coolness

The sensu folding fan is originally from Japan, and has spread around the world in a variety of forms. Around the Edo area (present Tokyo), sensu were made with bamboo ribs and washi paper. As they were made for samurai and merchants, they held the impression of vigor and strength. You will notice a clear difference from Kyoto sensu with aristocratic taste, even though they are both made in Japan. Sensu also appear in Rakugo Japanese comedy, and the lively sound storytellers make by slapping it on the lap is due to the small number of ribs and width of the fan.

For the Kyoto Sensu, a number of different artisans perform each step in the process. However, for Edo Sensu, a single craftsman performs all of the more than 30 manufacturing processes, except for the rib production and the design painting. Most of the tools are hand made in order to meet the delicate requirements of the process. As the natural materials of bamboo and paper are susceptible to weather and humidity, the craftsman relies on long years of experience to judge the best production methods to use. As all products are made to order, there is little of the waste found in mass production, and you can feel the warmth in the hand-made products. The sensu, which fold up like a single tree, are Japan's own fan.

The best way to forget the heat of summer is by fanning yourself with a convenient, easily portable sensu. In Japan, there is a customer to sense coolness with the five senses, and sensu give not just a light breeze, but also refreshing colors and designs, and the sound of an opening fan.