The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-09-14
Japanese Fans.

IHAvE been to see the lawmakers to-
day. Kioto, Nagoya, and Toxic are the
places most noted for the quality and
quantity manufactured, but Fukui has
few shops where ogi folding fans) and
uchiac0 (tlat fans) are made. Again [ find
we foreigners do things upside down.
With us the large, flat fans are for gentle
mems use, the folding fans for ladies. In
Japan the gentleman carries at all times
except in winter the ogi in his girdle,
bosom, under his collar, Or, in his merry
mood, under his cue. 1t is IA dire breach
of etiquette to appear in the street with a
flat fan, which is almost exclusively
used by the Japanese women. Millions
of these fans are being made for the
foreign market and sold in Europe and
America. They are cheap editions of art
in the land of the gods Tor all the world
to look at. They viii. probably do more
to advertise Japan abroad than any other
means.
AS the principles Of centralized capital,
immense manufactures and division OF
labor are as yet scarcely known in Japan
these fans, like other articles of art and
handiwork, will be made by tens of thou
sands of Independent workers all over the
country The Fulkuians make fans Of
all sorts and for all purposes; of water
proof paper for dipping in water-a sort
of vaporizcr for making extra GOODNESS
ON the face by evaporation; of stout paper
for grain winnows, charcoal fire blowers,
or for dust pans; double winged fans, for
the judges at wrestling matches; gorgeous
colored and gilt fans for the dancing girl,
who makes one a part of herself in her
graceful motion and classic pose; for the
ijuggler, who will make Il butterfly of
paper tluttcr up the edge of a sword.
The splitting of the bamboo, the folding
or FASTING of the paper by the girls, the
artists work, the finishing and packing
are all done before my eyes. The mani
fold uses and etiquette of the fan am
gradually learning.
I find a rack of silver hooks or a tubu-
lar fan-holder in every house, in which
are several of these implements of re-
freshment which are at once offered to the
visitor on his arrival. l have received a
stack of fans inscribed with poetry, con-
gratulations, or with maps, statistical
tables, pictures of famous places, classic
quotations or useful information of varied
nature. Many depict life, manners,
Europe. They are thus the educators of
tlC punN. 4NdHJ VI l. uNuA SCHtlC-
men have collections of fans with famous
inscriptions or autographs, or pictures
from noted artists. A scholar or author,
in giving party to his literary friends,
has number Of ogi ready for adornment;
and people often exchange fans as we do
photographs. When l go into a strange
house, especially in my trips to villages
where the foreigner creates sensation, I
spend the whole evening writing in En-
glish on fans for my host, his wife,
daughters and friends How far the ex-
cerpts from Shakespeare, Milton, or Long
fellow may be appreciated or understood
l cannot say. To make the pictures for
common flat fans the design is drawn by
the artist on thin paper. This is pasted
on slab of cherry wood and engraved.
The pictures are printed by laying the
fan-papcr flat on the block and pressing
it smooth. In the same manner the Jap
anese have printed books for centuries.
The various colors are put on with some
times as many as twenty blocks. The art
is chrome typography, instead of chromo-
TYPOGRAPHY. The picture papers, some
times with musk or other perfumes laid
between them, are then pasted on the
frame. The costly, gold lacquered, ivory
handled and inlaid fans are made in
Toxic and Kioto. ~. Il. Grit's En-
| DerSe1ce.