History of Japanese Fans

The first fans came about during the 6th century.  This was the time when Japan was highly influenced by the Chinese culture.  The fans called the uchiwa, were of a simple flat and rigid design, thus the name flat fans.  These fans played a prominent role in ceremonies and social activities of the Japanese.

It was only sometime during the 7th century that Japan was able to come up with its own, with the introduction of the sensu or ogi - the folding fan.  These folding fans were used during the early times as gifts to signify goodwill and respect. 

Today, the use of flat fans are more or less confined to festivals and advertising purposes, while the folding fans continue to reinvent itself many times over to serve the various needs of the Japanese for a fan.