This Sekishū-ryū style Cha Sensu (茶扇子 - tea fan) is used in the Japanese tea ceremony by guests as a tool to mark their seat and show their respect. As they are typically kept closed in during a chakai or chaji, they are smaller and have fewer ribs than a summer fan and are thus more difficult to open.
The Sekishū school of chanoyu uses a large fan with thick ribs and wide paper folds similar to fans used in dance. This is an old style that can be seen in paintings of samurai and warlords from Japan's warring states period.
The ribs of this this fan are made of bamboo and the paper is left blank so it can be decorated with your own painting or calligraphy.
We carry this fan in one size:
Large (Men's): 7寸5分 - 22.7cm (9in)
Sensu (扇子) are Japanese folding fans that come in a variety of styles and sizes, each with a different use. Natsu-sensu (夏扇子 - summer fan) have many small ribs and are larger, making them easy to open and fan yourself with in the summer heat. Cha-sensu (茶扇子 - tea fan) are smaller with fewer ribs and are typically kept closed when used by guests at a tea ceremony. Ornamental and dance fans often are larger but with even fewer ribs, meaning they are difficult to open but can stay open for display or throughout a dance routine.