A long history and various ways to use A traditional craft sensu (folding fan) that shows the courtesy by putting it on the tatami
Sensu is a Japanese folding fan made by putting a Japanese traditional paper on a frame made of the bamboo
and wood.
And this is often used for Japanese traditional performing arts like Noh, Japanese dance, Kabuki,
and Rakugo to be more expressive.
In Kabuki, for an example, it’s used for a scene to talk about the past.
And in Rakugo, it’s used like chopsticks to perform like eating udon and soba.
Sensu has a long history and various ways to use.
In the Heian Period (794-1185), nobles used it as a “memo” like writing poetries and details of public events.
In the Sengoku Period (1467-1568), samurai people carried Sensu made of iron instead of the normal
one as a weapon for self-protection.
Sensu is used to show the courtesy in the Japanese traditional room.
When you sit on the tatami with seiza, you should put a sensu on the tatami in front of you and
make a bow with seiza.
Putting a sensu in front of you means to respect interlocutors.
If you put a sensu far away from you, it means a deep bow, and if you put a sensu nearby you,
it means a light bow.
This is a kind of meticulous expression that the Japanese people value from long time ago.
Sensu is also famous as a traditional craft, so that it’s popular for tourists from abroad.
This item has various ways to use and long history and suits as a “souvenir”.
