Kumamoto shop appeals to Kumamon fans with handmade fans

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:19 JST, May 14, 2022

Traditional shibu uchiwa paper fans are being prepared at Kurikawa Shoten workshop in Yamaga, Kumamoto Prefecture. Handmade by artisans, each fan is coated with persimmon tannin to improve durability and repel insects. Uchiwa with kimono patterns and depictions of Kumamon, the prefecture’s official bear mascot, are among the most popular. This year, it has also started making fans featuring birth month flowers. Kurikawa Shoten, established in 1889, makes about 200 fans per day.