Designated a national traditional craft product, they are a style of Japanese fans — distinguished by a rounded handle.
The fans go through a 21-stage process, from collection of the bamboo to papering, before they are complete.
At Uyama Kobo in the city, Masao Uyama performs the whole procedure by himself. At 84 years old, he has a career spanning more than 60 years.
There are few willing apprentices to inherit the skill of making Boshu fans. "I'll make fans as long as I'm healthy enough to work, in order to preserve this tradition," said Uyama.
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