The folding fan is a companion to the yukata! What was the origin of the folding fan in an era when paper was a precious commodity?

ゆかた屋hiyori
浴衣の相棒扇子！紙が貴重だった時代に扇子のルーツとなったものは？！

Today we will introduce you to the fan, an item that is perfect for summer and gives off a mature vibe!

The origin of the folding fan

Everyone knows a fan as a fan-shaped object for holding something up. The fan was originally invented around the 8th century, before the Edo period. At the time, paper was extremely valuable, so people used boards made of wood (such as bamboo). And rather than using it as an object for holding something up, they used the wooden boards as a notepad for writing tanka poems and the like. They were made of wood, so perhaps because they were heavy and difficult to hold up, they never really caught on as an object for holding something up.

The spread of washi paper Because washi paper was very valuable at the time, it is said that it took nearly 1,000 years for it to become popular among the common people. It is said that washi paper was first made as early as 600 AD. It was created around the time of Prince Shotoku. At the time, it was only available to the king of the country, but as time passed, it spread to aristocrats, samurai, and commoners in that order. After washi paper became more popular, during the Heian period, aristocrats began using fans decorated with washi paper. During the Heian period, fans were basically a necessity for aristocrats. It is also said that fans represented dignity.

Introducing Wargo's recommended folding fans

Flower light fan-Blue sky sunflower

Flower Fan - Sunflower ￥900 (tax included ￥972) Click here for more details about this product!

Flower light fan-Tsubaki camellia

Flower Fan - Glossy Camellia ￥900 (tax included ￥972) Click here for more details about this product!

Flower light fan-purple lotus

Flower Fan - Purple lotus flower ￥900 (tax included ￥972) Click here for more details about this product!

summary

What do you think? It must have been surprising to learn how folding fans have become so popular over a period of over 1,000 years. Also, although folding fans are a noble item, they are available at very reasonable prices these days, so if you're wearing a yukata, we highly recommend using one to add a stylish touch!

ゆかた屋hiyori

Hiyori is a Japanese word that means "just right," "the way things go," or "the weather." With the theme of "just right" for your lifestyle, we help you to make your everyday life more casual, free, and stylish. We help you "enjoy wearing Japanese clothing." We propose a new Japanese style that combines traditional "Japanese clothing" with "kawaii," a Japanese pop culture that is gaining attention around the world.

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A store specializing in "cute adult" yukata

”大人カワイイ”浴衣の専門店

This is a yukata specialty store that offers a new style that combines traditional Japanese clothing with "cute, grown-up" fashion.

Unique original yukata

他にないオリジナル浴衣

hiyori's original yukata textiles combine classic motifs with Japanese accents. We have a wide selection of designs, from simple to bold.

Affordable pricing

お求めやすい価格設定

By purchasing in huge quantities and collaborating with our own designers and factories, we are able to keep costs down by minimizing the number of processes.