Artistic cool

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:48 JST, June 10, 2022

Japanese traditional fans sit on ropes stretched across a workshop of Aiba Co. in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, as production peaks ahead of summer. To make the Kyo uchiwa hand-held devices, craftspeople at Aiba, which was founded in 1689, glue thin Japanese washi paper onto strips of bamboo arranged in a radial pattern, then add paper cutouts of flowers, such as morning glory or lotus. Recently, transparent fans have been gaining popularity as ornamental decorations.