17/03/2010

Japanese Fans


Fans!!
There are 2 main kinds of fans in Japan. There are the flat fan (uchiwa) and the folding fan (sensu or ogi.) The flat fan is thought to come from Korea. This fan is usually carried in festivals. They are also given as an advertising gift from companies for the hot Japan weather.  This fan is also used for the general to indicate to his armies his commands. In wars you can use it as a weapon as well!
The folding fan is an invention of the Japanese people. It originated in Kyoto in about 670 AD. It is made out of bamboo and  paper. All the ones that were made with white paper would have love
poetry written on them and then they were presented to a loved one.
Buddhists use the same fans. At a ceremony no one would be perfectly dressed unless they carried a
sensu.  It is carried by singers of classical Japanese songs such as Rakugo.


Last term our class made our own Japanese fans. To start with we got one  plain paper folding fan and some Japanese brushes and ink. First of all we planned it on a piece of paper. We had to have at least one piece of Japanese writing on it. Next we lightly sketched our plan on to the actual fan. Then, carefully, we painted our designs on the fans with the ink. After they had dried, we outlined them in a black fine liner and got to take them home!

9 comments:

Taylor and Kara said...

I really enjoyed making our own cool Japanese fansand using the ink and Japanese brushes!

Lucy and Ellis said...

as you can probably see when making our fans it was our fundrasing day so we are mostly all in our pjamas

Adam K Stanley said...

I Thought that the art work we did was brilliant!

Nicky said...

it was quite hard making these fans because we used ink and if you didn't mean to do something and you did it and would not rub out but luckly before we did the ink we got to draw it lightly and then go over it. :) i was proud of mine when it got put up on the wall.

lucy said...

the day we made our fans was our fundrasing day so as you can probably see we are mostly all in our Pjamas

lucy said...

i enjoyed making the fans we also sold some of them at our enterprise

Hiba said...

It was very tough making fans but all the same it was fun!!!!

ellis said...

making our fans where cool it was fun and exiting we had a fair and we sold some off our fans and guess what they went quick

Mrs Russell said...

Did you make the frames for your fans too? They look fab! I may have to borrow a few for my summer hols!! ;)