Japanese Umbrella History and Types - Kyoto Wagasa parasol shop Tsujikura (2024)

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What are the different types of Japanese umbrellas? ›

Difference of Japanese umbrella types

There are three types of Wagasa: an umbrella (Wagasa), a parasol for dancing (Maigasa) and a parasol (Higasa).

Wagasa are traditional Japanese umbrellas made of washi paper attached to a bamboo frame and treated to ensure it is waterproof. We visited a venerable wagasa maker in Kyoto, which has been creating wagasa for more than 300 years, to learn about the history and characteristics of this traditional Japanese item.

Wagasa or Japanese umbrellas were first introduced to Japan from China at the beginning of the Heian period (794-1185). The earliest form of wagasa umbrellas was quite different from the traditional Japanese umbrellas of today.

Starting in the 12th century, the use of umbrellas spread to the common people. In this painting, commoners can be seen holding higasa, or sunshade parasols. From Ippen Hijiri-e (Paintings from the “Life of the Holy Man Ippen”). Japan's tsuyu* rainy season makes the kasa, or umbrella, essential.

Wagasa (和傘) is the name of a traditional Japanese paper umbrella. Japanese umbrellas were originally intended to provide shelter from the sun and thought to protect aristocrats from evil spirits, but were eventually used to repel rain and snow when the paper was waterproofed with oil.

As a rule of thumb, spokes made of whalebone point to an early, pre-1850s period, i.e. a rare specimen. A very long shaft, combined with a very small diameter and whalebone spokes points to the early 19th century. An overall small parasol with whalebone spokes would be mid-19th century or slightly earlier.

The term umbrella is traditionally used when protecting oneself from rain, while parasol is used when protecting oneself from sunlight, though the terms continue to be used interchangeably. Often the difference is the material used for the canopy; some parasols are not waterproof, and some umbrellas are transparent.

Wagasa is known to have come from China during Heian-Period(794-1192) along with Kanji. Wagasa that is drawn on the picture scroll of the time is different from Wagasa now. It is an umbrella (lid, shade), such as a canopy or a cover, and was used as a talisman and symbol of superiority and power.

Over time, sharing an umbrella became a sign of romantic love, and aiaigasa became a way for two people to show that they love and care for each other. People thought it was sweet to share an umbrella. A typical romantic scene in books, movies, and art is two people walking close together under an umbrella in the rain.

Wagasa's paper is coated with oil to make it waterproof, at the same time, the coated paper becomes more solid. On the contrary, some Wagasa parasols are not coated with oil and thus they cannot be use during rainy days but only to protect from the sun.

What are parasols called in Japan? ›

Wagasa are a type of unique Japanese umbrellas made using traditional paper washi, and original techniques for making wagasa have been handed down through the ages in various regions throughout Japan, such as Kyoto, Gifu, and Kanazawa.

Parasols Add Color to the Hot Japanese Summers

In addition, these parasols could be made to be water-repellent, making them able to protect from both rain and sun. Japanese people tend to use umbrellas even in mild rain, so these were popular as they provided convenient sun and rain protection in a single item.

The red umbrella is a strong symbol in Japanese weddings. Red signifies life and wards off evil, so the umbrella keeps the bride not only dry, but safe. A very large umbrella is carried by a man who follows the bride to the wedding.

Once expensive, they now typically retail for around ¥500 to ¥1,000 in convenience stores, although there are pricier items with advanced features, as well as low-end versions available in ¥100 stores.

Wagasa are a type of unique Japanese umbrellas made using traditional paper washi, and original techniques for making wagasa have been handed down through the ages in various regions throughout Japan, such as Kyoto, Gifu, and Kanazawa.

Quick ID Hints:

shiny, dark green, three to five-inch, flat needles. the needles appear in dense whorls of 20 to 30 needles at the ends of the branches. inconspicuous reddish to yellow-green male flowers, and light green female flowers. fruits are reddish-brown, oval cones about 2 to 4 inches long with thick scales.

when Kaizen for every individual could be an attitude for continuous improvement, for the com-pany also can be a corporate attitude for continuous improvement. As presented by Imai, Kaizen is an umbrella concept that embraces different continuous improvement activities on an organization as shown in Figure 1 [2].