Karakasa - Umbrella

A Japanese-style umbrella. It is also called a karakasa (handled umbrella) because it has a handle. The use of the character tang (Chinese character) indicates that it was imported, as with tounasu (chicken eggplant) and togarashi (red pepper). The primitive form of the Japanese umbrella can already be seen in the Ippen Shonin Illustrated Biography. It was during the Edo period that it began to be used in place of raincoats and hats, and it started out as white washi paper coated with paulownia oil, and these crude umbrellas were called bangasa (bamboo umbrellas). Later, umbrellas with family crests and with the edges dyed in navy blue were called janomegasa (snake-eye umbrellas), and slimmer, more luxurious umbrellas were called momijigasa (maple leaf umbrellas), and they were popular among the ikisuji (elegant people) with rattan wrapped around the handle and thread decoration on the ribs.

[Takeshi Endo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

和風の雨傘。柄(がら)がついているところから柄傘(からかさ)ともいわれる。唐の文字をあてるのは唐茄子(とうなす)、唐辛子(とうがらし)と同様に、外国からの舶来品であることを示す。和傘の原始的な形は、『一遍上人(いっぺんしょうにん)絵伝』のなかにすでにみられる。雨具の蓑(みの)、笠(かさ)にかわって用いられるようになったのは、江戸時代に入ってからで、白の和紙に桐油(とうゆ)を引いたのが始まりで、その粗雑なものを番傘とよんだ。のちに家紋をつけたりし、傘の周囲を紺で染めたものを蛇の目傘、それより細身で高級品のものを紅葉(もみじ)傘といい、握りには籐(とう)を巻いたり、骨を糸飾りにしたりして粋筋(いきすじ)の間で流行した。

［遠藤　武］

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