Ougiya - Ougiya

Craftsmen who produce fans and stores that sell them. Fans (sensu) are household items that were invented in Japan from Chinese items and made from paper and bamboo bones. They were put to practical use in the 11th century and were exported to China by the 13th century. There were hiougi fans made from cypress wood and kawahori (summer fans) with bamboo bones and paper pasted on, but paper and bamboo bones became the norm. As they became more widespread, the techniques also improved, and a technique called nakazuke, in which the bones are placed inside the paper, was introduced, and the folding method of the paper was invented to create suehiro. In the old days, there were five bones, and in the Muromachi period, there were twelve. Suehiro was established in the 15th century, and at the same time, the craftsmen became independent and fan sellers and fan makers established their own shops in the city of Kyoto, where they both made and sold fans. In the 17th century, other castle towns also established their own businesses, and the division of labor was expanded to include paper craftsmen, painters, bone craftsmen, and key craftsmen, but most of the work was done by family. Also, around that time, fan craftsmen began to differentiate into those who produced uchiwa fans, which were practical and popular items for the general public.

[Motoo Endo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

扇を生産する職人、およびそれを販売する店。扇（扇子(せんす)）は、中国のものから日本的に独創され、地紙と骨竹からつくられた生活用具で、11世紀には実用化され、13世紀にかけては中国へも輸出された。檜(ひのき)製の檜扇(ひおうぎ)、竹を骨として地紙を貼(は)った蝙蝠(かわほり)（夏扇）があったが、地紙、骨竹のものが主となってきた。その普及に伴って技法的にも進歩し、骨を紙の中へ入れる中付(なかづけ)という技法が始まり、地紙の折り方もくふうされて末広(すえひろ)が生まれた。骨の数は古くは5本、室町時代では12本である。末広の成立は15世紀のことで、同時にその職人も独立して、扇売りや扇屋が京の町に居職(いじょく)として店をもち、製作と販売を兼ねていた。17世紀には、ほかの城下町にも成立し、地紙師、絵師、骨師、要(かなめ)師というように分業化していったが、多くは家族労働によっていた。またそのころ、実用的、庶民的なものとして団扇(うちわ)を生産する団扇師が分化してきた。

［遠藤元男］

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