An uchiwa (うちわ) is a traditional Japanese hand fan used for cooling, cooking, and (historically) for protection against evil spirits. Unlike the foldable sensu fan, the uchiwa consists of a rigid, flat surface of paper or silk (usually decorated) attached to a bamboo framework. This fan is part of a series produced by Bunsendo (文扇堂) a Japanese fan shop operated by the same family for five generations in Tokyo's Asakusa district. It depicts a kappa carrying a present in one hand, and a tokurri of sake in the other. But what (you may ask) is a kappa?
The kappa (河童, "river-child") is a familiar type of water monster, one of the three main types of yokai (mischievous or malevolent supernatural beings). Kappa have amphibious characteristics, resembling a frog or turtle. They have an indentation on their head, filled with water, from which they derive their preternatural strength. They live in rivers, ponds, and swamps, and were traditionally considered very dangerous, blamed for drownings of humans and livestock. They are more often seen as tricksters, likely to come on land and participate in games and festivities (as this one is). There are many stories of kappa giving humans the recipes for efficacious medicines, as well as helping out with various tasks.
But they are still potentially dangerous, and must be propitiated with gifts of cucumbers, their second favorite food. Unfortunately, their first favorite food is the shirikodama (尻子玉, "small anus ball" ), a mythical organ in Japanese folklore believed to be located inside the human anus. According to legend, it contains a person's soul, and its extraction by the kappa results in the victim's death.
An uchiwa (うちわ) is a traditional Japanese hand fan used for cooling, cooking, and (historically) for protection against evil spirits. Unlike the foldable sensu fan, the uchiwa consists of a rigid, flat surface of paper or silk (usually decorated) attached to a bamboo framework. This fan is part of a series produced by Bunsendo (文扇堂) a Japanese fan shop operated by the same family for five generations in Tokyo's Asakusa district. It depicts a kappa carrying a present in one hand, and a tokurri of sake in the other. But what (you may ask) is a kappa?
The kappa (河童, "river-child") is a familiar type of water monster, one of the three main types of yokai (mischievous or malevolent supernatural beings). Kappa have amphibious characteristics, resembling a frog or turtle. They have an indentation on their head, filled with water, from which they derive their preternatural strength. They live in rivers, ponds, and swamps, and were traditionally considered very dangerous, blamed for drownings of humans and livestock. They are more often seen as tricksters, likely to come on land and participate in games and festivities (as this one is). There are many stories of kappa giving humans the recipes for efficacious medicines, as well as helping out with various tasks.
But they are still potentially dangerous, and must be propitiated with gifts of cucumbers, their second favorite food. Unfortunately, their first favorite food is the shirikodama (尻子玉, "small anus ball" ), a mythical organ in Japanese folklore believed to be located inside the human anus. According to legend, it contains a person's soul, and its extraction by the kappa results in the victim's death.
