Japanese fans

We still have many places to discover in the Asian continent. Today from the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we are travelling to Japan to find out the origin of Japanese fans.

Traditional Japanese fans are much more than a piece of art. Throughout history, this object has gained importance in Japanese people´s everyday life, as well as imperial and religious ceremonies.

In the past, Japanese fans were the country´s main export. Currently, besides their function of cooling off, they are also used in many cultural Japanese traditions such as Kagura or Noh Theatre.

It is complicated to set their origin, but we can affirm that their history begins in China, from where they would arrive at Japan through Korea. The first types of fans that were commercialised in Japan were the rigid fans known as uchiwa.

However, according to a famous legend, the foldable fan known as ôgi was created in Japan. Specifically, the hiogi fan, which is made of hinoki or cedar wood, attained great splendour during the Heian period. The number of strips of wood changed according to the person´s rank. Nowadays, the design and materials used to make a Japanese fan differ based on how important its owner is.

If you visit us at the 5 stars resort Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa you will also some historical sites. Have you ever seen our wood canoe? Escape to our paradise by the Mediterranean and enjoy a full Asian experience.