Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the early aristocracy, but by the late 12th century their popularity had spread to the general
populace. Though fans were originally a practical and fashionable tool to keep oneself
cool in Japan's sweltering summers, they gradually took on more aesthetic purposes as
Japan's arts flourished from the 15th century onwards, from plain fans used in tea cere-
mony and incense smelling, to elaborate ones used in nō drama and traditional dance.
Fans are still commonly used as decorative items and for ceremonial purposes.
Originally made from the leaves of the cypress tree, fans are now primarily made with
elaborately painted Japanese paper fixed onto a skeleton of delicate bamboo ribs. The pa-
per can feature decorations from simple geometric designs to courtly scenes from the Hei-
an period and are often sprinkled with gold or silver leaf powder.
Like the practice of drinking tea, it is said that the art of papermaking was brought to Japan
by Buddhist monks. It is said that the art was introduced into Japan in the early 7th century
by monks who used the paper for copying sutras.
Fans make a lightweight and excellent souvenir of Kyoto and can be purchased at ma-
sometimes has demonstrations of fan making.
Washi
The art of making paper by hand was introduced into Japan from China in the 5th century
and it reached its golden age in the Heian era, when it was highly prized by members of
the Kyoto court for their poetry and diaries.
Washi
(traditional Japanese paper) is nor-
mally produced using mulberry, but it can also be made from mountain shrubs and other
plants. One distinctive type of
washi
found in Kyoto is
kyo-chiyogami,
which has tradi-
tionally been used by Japanese to wrap special gifts.
Washi
was made in large quantities in Japan until the introduction of Western paper in
the 1870s. After that time, the number of families involved in the craft plummeted.
However, there are still a number of traditional papermakers active in Kyoto city and in
country areas north of the city. Recently,
washi
has enjoyed something of a revival (there's
even
washi
for computer printers!). There are several fine
washi
shops in Kyoto, including
