Gifu Fans

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gifu Lanterns (岐阜うちわ, Gifu Uchiwa^?) are a special product of the city of Gifu in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. They have been labeled as one of Gifu's traditional crafts and have a history dating back to the Muromachi period.^[1] The fans were first created as omiyage for tourists and visitors to Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River.

Contents 1 History 2 Features 3 See also 4 References

[edit] History

The Oyudan no Ue no Nikki (御湯殿上日記), a journal from the Muromachi period, records that Gifu's Zuiryū-ji gave away fans as gifts. A member of the Matsudaira clan officially named the fans Gifu Uchiwa.

Today, over 10,000 fans are produced each year.

[edit] Features

The covers for the fans are made using Mino washi, while the base structure is made in more fine a detail than the fans made in Marugame and Kyoto. There are over 20 individual steps required to make one fan.

[edit] See also

• Mino washi
• Gifu Lanterns
• Gifu Umbrellas

[edit] References