Fans made in Kyoto using Japanese fan ribs are known as Kyōsensu (Kyoto fans). Among them, Satsukisen Kyoto by Hishida Co., Ltd. continues to create innovative fans that go beyond traditional concepts of materials and techniques, crafting new styles suited to the times.

While paper fans made with Japanese washi are the most common, Satsukisen Kyoto produces a wide variety of fans using fabrics, translucent cut-paper designs, and more. Employing the rare katabari (one-side pasting) technique—where fabric or paper is affixed to only one side of the ribs—they can work with materials ranging from delicate cut-paper on fabric to thick leather. This versatility gives rise to uniquely beautiful fans, many of which are also popular as interior décor pieces.

While fan-making is often divided into specialized processes, Hishida Co., Ltd. carries out many of the steps in-house. In addition to their original products, they also manufacture numerous OEM items for industries outside the fan trade, such as apparel. Having grown up watching his father’s fan-making, the young third-generation successor Kensuke Hishida is now incorporating new techniques and ideas, continually taking on the challenge of creating fans unlike any seen before.

Interview: Takuya Arata Photography: Daiki Morishita Text: Kento Onishi