It is believed that the fan came to Japan from China in ancient times. The earliest depiction of a Japanese fan dates back to the 6th century AD. The folding fan was invented in Japan between the 6th and 9th centuries. It was part of the court dress, which was called akomeogi after the akome women’s court dress. Japanese craftsmen have been perfecting forms for centuries, and as a result, a folding fan, familiar to us, appeared from planed wooden planks, folding into an accordion with a semicircle of special strong paper, which in Japan are called sensu.

And in 988, according to the source “Sun Sui” (“History of Song”), now Japanese monks sent fourteen various colorful folding fans to the emperor of China. The famous court lady and writer Sei Shonagon (966 – 1017) ranked the fan among the objects that “captivate with refined charm.” Pictures were painted on fans and poems were written. The popularity of these fans was such that during the Heian period (794-1185) luxury laws were passed that restricted excessive fan decoration.

The oldest sensu in existence is the cypress fan found in the hands of the statue of the Thousand-Armed Kannon at Toji Temple in Kyoto. Its origin is attributed to 877. At that time, sensu were considered luxury items, they could only be used by aristocrats.

Sensu fans are made from a bamboo frame and lined with washi paper. Making fans using ancient techniques is one of the most famous traditional crafts in Japan. The list of traditional crafts, according to the current laws, includes 235 different products, which include fans from “Edo-Sensu” and “Kyo-Sensu”.

For over 150 years, Unkindo Fukatsu has retained the traditional Edo sensu craftsmanship used by the women of the imperial family during significant official ceremonies. Ukindo Fukatsu produces fans for traditional kabuki actors and many famous people. Most folding fans are one-of-a-kind products with original designs. Real Edo Sensus make a nice clicking sound when folded.

The young brand “Yasuto Yonehara” from Kyoto was created in 2016. The founder of the workshop, Yasuto Yonehara, began the production of fans for traditional Japanese arts and rituals, such as theater, tea ceremony, Shinto, Buddhist and festival ceremonies. The experience gained over the years and Yonehara’s desire to give folding fans a modern look led to the creation of her own style, combining tradition and modernity. The unique aesthetic sense of the Japanese is conveyed in the fans of this workshop using the “haku” technique – decorating with metal foil, most often with gold or silver leaf, which gives them both a traditional and modern look.