Production of Boshu Uchiwa Fans Reaches Peak in Chiba Pref.; Tourists Visit Workshop for Interactive Events

The Yomiuri Shimbun

1:00 JST, May 18, 2024

Artisan Mayumi Uyama, 62, is preparing to attach a piece of patterned cloth to ribs made from bamboo to fashion an uchiwa hand fan at a workshop in Minami-Boso, Chiba Prefecture. Production of the fan, the Boshu Uchiwa, is reaching its peak. It has a characteristic cylindrical handle and thin ribs split from locally-sourced bamboo. According to Uyama, the workshop, Uyama Kobo, is selling more uchiwa fans to and holding more interactive events for tourists of late. “Turn the air conditioner to a higher temperature and use our Boshu Uchiwa so you can feel the gentle breeze it creates,” she said.