Sensu

Sensu, traditional Japanese fan, is typically made of bamboo ribs an paper.
It was a fan, but it is not only for take a cool, but also communication tool.
In Tale of Genji, which is oldest Japanese classic novel, Sensu appears a lot.
Ladies usually covered their face for the sign of embarrassment. Fan was also a communication tool between lover because they were not allowed to talk directly.

This Fujin Raijin, by Tawaraya Sotatsu, famous artist in Edo era, around 16th century.
There are two god, god of wind and god of thunder, and this is made of dynamic composition, which was very rare in this era. It is said that Sotatsu draw in this composition, thinking to put on the Sensu. That is why those two gods are far apart, located on both ends of Sensu.

Sensu is used many of Japanese traditional scene and is always with us!