Sensu is thought to have been invented in Japan. Let’s take a closer look at how sensu was born and developed.
The birth of Sensu
It’s known that fans have existed since ancient times in various parts of the world, including Egypt and China.
A clay figure modeled after a Chinese fan called sashiba (翳) was excavated from the 6th century Oomuro Kofungun (大室古墳群) of the Kofun period (mid-3rd century – around 7th century).
A uchiwa (団扇: fan) handle was excavated from the Rita ruins (利田遺跡) of the middle to the end of Yayoi period (around 10th century BC – mid-3rd century AD) in Saga Prefecture.
Sashiba (翳) is also depicted in the Takamatsuzuka Kofun (高松塚古墳) from the end of the Asuka period (592-710).
It’s believed that the fans (扇) mentioned in the “Manyoshu,” a collection of poems from the 7th and 8th centuries, and in the “Shoku-Nihongi,” a record of history from the first year of Emperor Mommu’s reign (697) to the Enryaku 10th year of Emperor Kanmu’s reign (791), were Chinese-style fans.
Fans called “shi” (翅) in China, were expensive items made of bird feathers and silk, and were mainly used for ceremonies and decorations. These fans were brought to Japan from China by Japanese envoys to the Sui and Tang dynasties around the 7th century.
In Japan, summers are hot, humid and muggy, so the act of fanning in some way would have been a natural occurrence. It’s also known that high-quality fanning tools were introduced from China and used by the ruling class. However, Chinese fans are not the direct ancestors of Japanese sensu.
Chinese fans were not foldable. Sensu developed independently in Japan.
Hiougi (檜扇)
The first to appear was the hiougi (檜扇). The main material is cypress. Mokkan (wooden tablets on which characters are written) are stacked, holes are punched at the ends, and bound together with paper string. The wooden tablets are then tied together with string so that they can be opened and closed. They are about 30 cm long and 2 to 3 cm wide.
Mokkan, like characters, were brought to Japan from ancient China. Originally, they were made of bamboo, but wood has also come to be used.
A set of wooden tablets lined up and tied together with string is called a “satsu” (冊). satsu has a structure similar to makisu. As you can see, the woven wooden tablets are the archetype of the kanji “冊.” Even now, when characters are written on paper instead of wood, they are still used to count books (e.g. 1 冊, 2 冊, 3 冊). Mokkan were used to write characters, and did not develop into fans in China.
The oldest surviving hiougi is said to have been excavated from the Nagayaoutei (長屋王邸), a ruin from the Nara period (710-794). The Wamyou Ruijushou (倭名類聚抄), from the mid-Heian period (794-1185), distinguishes between folding fans (和名阿布岐) and Chinese-style fans (和名宇知波).
Early hiougi (檜扇) were used as shaku (笏) by aristocratic men. A shaku (笏) is a long, thin board held in the right hand when wearing a formal kimono, on which shakushi (笏紙: shaku paper) was attached as a reminder, but it eventually became a decorative item to enhance dignity.
The shape of the hiougi (檜扇) became refined, and pictures began to be painted on the fan surface, and the strings became decorative. Kaname (要) was changed from paper strings to wooden pegs and reinforced with decorative metal fittings, increasing stability.
Around that time, women at the Imperial Court began to use hiougi (檜扇) as well. The hiougi (檜扇) held by women was called akome-ougi (袙扇). Also, it was used to quickly block the view of others. This usage is common to Chinese fans.
During the Heian period (794-1185), hiougi (檜扇) became an indispensable part of the formal attire of aristocrats. Descriptions, for example, waka poems written on fan surfaces, and flowers on fan surfaces as gifts can be seen often in literature such as The Kagero Diary and The Tale of Genji.
As such, from a very early stage, sensu were used for cultural purposes such as writing, etiquette, and gift-giving in addition to fanning.
Kawahoriougi (蝙蝠扇)
Later, the Kawahoriougi (蝙蝠扇) appeared, a paper fan with 5 or 6 thin hone (frames) and paper pasted on one side of the fan surface. There are various theories about the origin of the name, such as “because the shape of the fan when spread out resembles a bat” or corrupted from “kamibari” (paper pasting).
There is a legend that Empress Jingu learned from bat wings. The exact time of its creation is unknown, but it’s known to have existed in the middle of the Heian period (794-1185).
Exchanges with China
In the “Japan Record” (日本伝) of the Chinese “Song History” (宋史), it’s written that in the first year of Duan Gong (988) of the Northern Song Dynasty, when Kiin (喜因), a disciple of the Japanese monk Chounen (奝然), travelled to China, he presented 20 hiougi (檜扇) and 2 kawahoriougi (蝙蝠扇).
As you can see, the Japanese folding fan, shousen (摺扇), was introduced to China during the Kamakura period (1185-1333). It was still a single-sided fan at that time.
In China, sensu were called folding fans (折扇), and production had grown and they had become widespread by the Ming Dynasty. In China, sensu began to have paper pasted on both sides. These were then re-imported to Japan as tousen (唐扇: Chinese fans) during the Muromachi period (1336-1573). Depending on the tip shape of the fan when closed, the basic forms of Suehiro/Chuukei (末広／中啓), Bonbori (雪洞) and Shizumeori (鎮折) were established. Then, sensu with the characteristics of tousen (唐扇: Chinese fans), decorated with Japanese paintings, were exported to the Ming Dynasty on a large scale.
Sensu in the Edo Period
In the Edo period (1603-1868), sensu became popular among the common people. They became an everyday item to cool down in the hot summer, and many people carried them. Ukiyo-e, which was popular at the time, was also used on fan surfaces, and high-end ones were traded at high prices as works of art.
In the late Edo period (1603-1868), materials (bamboo, Japanese paper, silk, etc.) were improved and lighter, and fans of various sizes according to purpose appeared. They also began to be decorated with elaborate craftsmanship.
This eventually evolved into the sensu of the present day.
What is Sensu? The foldable fan originating in Japan
How to make Sensu: What’s the difference between Kyoto and Tokyo?
The spread and development of Sensu: From Japan to the world
The relationship between Sensu and Occidental Art: Interaction of Japan and Europe
Surprising similarities of Sensu and Makisu: Traditional Japanese tools
Author: Takuya Nagata. Amazon Profile
Follow @nagatackleA novel writer and creator. Graduated from UCA, the UK’s university. Discussed Japanese minimalism in the senior thesis. Founder of “MINIRISM” (minirism), the art movement that contributes to the development of societies, such as ecology and lifestyle. Later opened the knowledge hub “The Minimalist.”
Once travelled to Brazil and trained football at CFZ do Rio (Centro de Futebol Zico Sociedade Esportiva) in Rio de Janeiro. Played soccer for the Urawa Reds (Urawa Red Diamonds), one of the biggest football clubs in Japan, and toured Europe. Retired at a young age and voyaged alone to England. Established careers as a journalist, football coach, consultant, etc. across Europe such as Spain. The founder of “Propulsive Football” (PROBALL), the world’s first-ever competitive mixed football, facilitating diversity and spirit for equal participation in society.
Knowledgeable in creative and technology fields as well. Launched the SPACE Culture & Entertainment hub “The Space-Timer 0.”
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