Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-09-17
THE FAN IN JAPAN.
DETAILS OF THE PROCESS OF DE-
 SIGNING AND MANUFACTURING.

A Great Variety of Colors Applied by
 Means of Blocks of Cherry wood-Fans
 for Gentlemen of Taste-Thc Fans Many
 Uses-Etiquette.
 Among the scenes of unique interest which arrest the eye of the traveller in Japan one finds ones self we'll repaid for visit to the fan makers. Few of those who visit the curios shops to purchase these gaudy trihes have any idea of the meaning of their pict- uresque designs or the method by which they are made. Yet this handicraft does really more to advertise Japan than any other manufacture. Fans are made by thousands of independent laborers, centralized capital and labor for the manufacture of works of art and handicraft being as yet little known in Japan. The principal workers in this trade are found in Tokio Kioto Nagoya and Fukui.
 We have have watched the operation from beginning to end-the splitting of bamboo, the cutting and pasting of delicate rice paper by the girls the artistic, dainty picturing, the finishing and packing. They are some times inscribed with classic quotations, poetry, statistical tables, almanac lore, maps, pictures of noted places and congratulations. Often these are made to depict life, customs, architecture in Europe, or even Yokohama, CAoC SIl9 DSIIlS tLe Alnk between the Japanese and foreigners. Thus are the fans in the household, of which there are many, made to educate the family.
 The design for the pictures on an ordinary flat fan is first drawn on thin paper, then pasted on block of cherry wood and en- graved; afterward printed from this by lay ing the fan paper on the block and pressing smoothly. Japanese books have been printed in this way for centuries prior to the late changes in the empire. The variety of colors are put on with not infrequently as many as twenty blocks. Often the picture papers have the choicest of perfumes laid between them before being pasted on the frame, then finished with ivory handles, inlaid and gold lacquered.
 FOR GENTLEMEN OF TASTE.
 Gentlemen of luxurious tastes have large collections of these refreshing trifes, with autograph inscriptions and pictures from celebrated artists. A very dainty custom in vogue is to exchange fans as we do photo graphs.
 We, as foreigners, are supposed to do things upside down. In this country the large, fiat fans are for the use of gentlemen, but ill Japan it would be a dire breach of etiquette, as these are used exclusively by women. The gentleman always carries 8 folding fan in his girdle or bosom, usually elegantly decorated. If he is q scholar or author, when he invites his literary friends to his house they must go prepared to in- scribe this dainty bit of refreshment offered them on arrival. \ rack of silver hooks or tubular fan holder is found in every house of the least pretention
 Japan uses the fan for a great variety of purposes; made of stout paper to winnow grain, for dust pans and charcoal fire blow CTS; of waterproof paper for dipping in water and as a vaporizer, for producing ex- tra coolness to the face. There are double .winged fans for the juggler, who makes c butterfly of paper flutter up the edge of 6 sword, for the judges at wrestling matches and for the dancing girl, who makes her fan part of her own graceful motion and classic pose. In charming grace of manner the Japanese are unequaled, and secret though decorous love is often expressed in artistic use of the fan till consummated by openly avowed attachment.
 As tokens of good feeling and polite atten- tion Americans are not infrequently the re- cipients of costly fans from their Japanese friends. On a certain special occasion, ac- companying an invitation to dinner tied with dalntieSt silk corn on perfrned paper, was tray of confections and sponge cake in a lacquered box of exquisite make and a case of three rare, painted fans, each tied in silk napkins.
 On leaving the empire, family with whom delightful relations had been estab- lished, sent as a parting gift beautiful gold lacQuered cabinet, ill one of the drawers of which was found number of perfumed fans of elegant manufacture, which will be lifelong keepsakes in memory of the sesthetic Japanese.-Helen H. s. Thompson in Good Housekeeping.