Special Exhibition | Saga Arashiyama Museum of Arts and Culture

Overview of the Exhibition

From July 14, Saga Arashiyama Museum of Arts & Culture is happy to introduce many artistic fans. Don’t miss this perfect exhibition for summer in Arashiyama.

Fans are useful implements that transcend time. Handed down
through many generations to the present day, forms and
functions have been evolving. A while after the uchiwa flat fan
was introduced to Japan from China in the early 8th century, the
compact sensu folding fan came into being during the Heian
period (794–1185). Fans found a role in religious rites and also
became accessories for the aristocracy. Reflecting social uses,
the depiction of fans in paintings came to denote dignity and
femininity.

In this exhibition, with the cooperation of HAKUCHIKUDO, a long-established Kyoto fan maker, as well as assorted fans with surface painting and calligraphy from the early modern period up to the present
day, you can see Japanese paintings that depict flat and folding
fans. The spread-out shape of fans is considered to bring good
fortune: we hope some of that luck rubs off as you view the
exhibits.
People today, during Japan’s hot and often humid summers, in
the street or at sports matches, still cool themselves with hand-
held fans. Deeply rooted in Japanese culture, fans also feature in
Shinto rituals, festivals, and performing arts. This cultural significance has also led artists to often depict fans in paintings.
In kimono patterns, fan motifs are associated with prosperity.
Each fan starts as a blank field with a special shape. These
outlines have stimulated designers and artists to ingeniously play with the space. You can see how possibilities have been exploited by famous modern-era painters, such as Takeuchi Seihō and
Uemura Shōen, and corporate advertising.
If you have ever wondered how folding fans are actually made, you will enjoy the display showing the meticulous craft processes employed to produce each kyō-sensu.

In addition, calligraphy takes center stage in the last section, which presents fans bearing the writing of famous painters, calligraphers, and
celebrities. In the Edo period (1603–1867), visiting celebrities were likely to be asked to write on fans. Similar to Western autographs, paper squares bearing the writing of professional players of shogi and go have a market value.
In this section you can see assorted fans autographed by diverse celebrities, including by famous painters of the early modern period on their travels, by legendary musicians, and a rarity by contemporary illustrator Amano Yoshitaka. There are also items brushed by leading shogi players, including ninth dans Habu Yoshiharu and Fujii Sōta (current champion). Even if you cannot read Japanese, you can enjoy seeing how these widely different people express their personalities in their brushwork.

Exhibition Information

Title	Fun Fan Fantasy
Dates	July 14 (Fri.) 2023 to October 9 (Mon.), 2023 1st Period: July 14 (Fri.) to August 28 (Mon.) 2023 2nd Period: August 30 (Wed.) to October 9(Mon.) 2023
Opening Hours	10:00 am – 5:00 pm (last entry 4:30 pm)
Closed	August 31 (Tue.)
Entry Fee	General / University student: ¥1000 (¥900) High school student: ¥600 (¥500) Elementary / Junior high school student: ¥400 (¥350) Disabled person and up to one helper: ¥600 (¥500) * Prices in parentheses are for groups of 20 or more. * Free for preschool children
Special Cooperation	Hakuchikudo
Organizers	Saga Arashiyama Museum of Arts & Culture, Kyoto Shimbun
Supported by	Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City Board of Education, Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Related documents	List of Works

Past Exhibitions

Current Exhibition

Fun Fan Fantasy

Overview of the Exhibition

Exhibition Information

Artwork