From shade for the powerful to rain gear for everyone
Japanese umbrellas are a small craft with a long history, and they still turn up in photographs, festivals and on stage.
The traditional Japanese umbrella is called wagasa, “Japanese umbrella,” to distinguish it from the Western-style folding umbrella, which is called yogasa. The idea of a canopy on a handle came from the continent, and it is generally thought to have reached Japan in ancient times, possibly with Buddhism and court culture from the mainland. Early canopies were held over nobles and religious figures as a sign of rank and for shade, and some of them were made of silk.
Rain protection by waterproofed paper came later. In the Edo period oil-paper umbrellas became widespread among townspeople, and they were sold, rented and repaired in cities, according to commonly repeated accounts. They formed part of the street life of the period, along with the straw raincoats and wooden clogs that suited wet roads.
How an oil-paper umbrella is made
A wagasa is a good example of a craft that uses a few natural materials. Its main parts are:
- A bamboo frame. The ribs are thin strips of bamboo, cut and shaped so they open into a smooth dome. A handle and a sliding collar hold them together. In this respect it is a product of bamboo craft.
- A paper covering. Traditionally washi paper, glued over the ribs. Washi paper is tough for its thinness because of its long fibers.
- Oil or a similar coating. The paper is treated to resist water. Details differ between makers and regions, which is why no single recipe should be assumed.
- Thread work. Decorative threads are often wound through the ribs, giving the inside of the umbrella a pattern.
Because of this construction, a wagasa is light and casts a soft, warm glow when sunlight passes through the paper. It must be dried open after use and stored carefully, and paper umbrellas are not as durable in heavy storms as modern ones.
Kinds of umbrella
Several types developed for different uses:
- Bangasa. A sturdy, plain umbrella with thick paper, used for everyday rain by ordinary people.
- Janome-gasa. “Snake-eye” umbrella, with a bold ring of white or contrasting color on a darker ground, seen in the stage and in prints as a stylish, urban item.
- Higasa. A parasol for shade, often lighter and more decorative, used by women in summer.
- Nodate-gasa. A large, bright red umbrella set up as a canopy for outdoor tea gatherings, which stands out against grass or a riverbank. This is a custom related to outdoor tea parties, and the Japanese tea ceremony includes such open-air variants.
In dress
Umbrellas have long been regarded as part of an outfit. A parasol or paper umbrella carried with a kimono can add color and pattern, and people wearing traditional clothes for a photograph or an event often choose one. Apprentice geisha and women in the geisha tradition are often shown with umbrellas in scenes of Kyoto in the rain or snow, although such images owe a lot to the tourism and art that have taken them up.
After Meiji modernization introduced imported umbrellas, the Western style, with a fabric cover and metal ribs, gradually replaced paper ones in daily life. The paper wagasa survived as craft work, for ceremony and for display.
Theatre and dance
The umbrella is a classic stage prop. In kabuki theatre, characters appear in rain scenes or in love scenes holding paper umbrellas, and the umbrella can frame a pair of lovers, hide a face or become a weapon in a fight. The picture of someone standing in snow under an umbrella is a favorite stage image. In Japanese dance, a parasol is used in some pieces to shape a mood, turning slowly as it is held on the shoulder, and a performer may twirl it for effect.
Umbrellas also appear in the scenery of matsuri festivals. Some festivals feature decorated umbrellas or large canopies as part of processions, to protect sacred objects or to add color. These customs differ from place to place.
Umbrellas in prints and art
The umbrella was a favorite subject of Edo artists. Ukiyo-e prints often show figures in rain, with the umbrella creating strong diagonal lines and a play of light. Foreign admirers of Japanese prints in the nineteenth century were struck by these images, which fed into Western ideas of Japan.
Today
A small number of workshops in Japan still make wagasa by hand, a skill that takes years to learn, and the output is limited. Umbrellas are also used in tea gardens, shrines, and ryokan inns, and as decorations at events. People who buy one for use should be aware that care needs differ from ordinary umbrellas; the maker’s guidance is the best source.