From Consumption Area in Edo to the Material Supply Area in Boshu: Craftsmen Migrate & Form a Major Production Center

First, could you tell us about the characteristics of the Boshu uchiwa produced by your company?

The Boshu uchiwa made from a single round bamboo piece from the handle to the face, features a soft breeze created by the bamboo's flexibility. The round handle is easy to grip and has a warmth to it, gaining character the more it's used. I believe it can also provide emotional enjoyment just by being displayed.
Our workshop employs techniques passed down since my great-grandfather's time, producing everything from the traditional washi-paper covered uchiwa to those covered with yukata fabric and chirimen. Recently, we've even created uchiwa adorned with cut paper. Each piece is unique, varying in character due to the natural materials of bamboo and the patterns or materials used on the surface.  

So why did uchiwa making flourish in Boshu uchiwa (the area stretching over present-day southern Minamiboso City and Tateyama in Chiba Prefecture)?

During the Edo period, making uchiwa and umbrellas was a side job for samurai. Even when the production of ukiyo-e was banned due to luxury prohibitions, only the ukiyo-e used for uchiwa was permitted. This was because taking that away would leave samurai without a means of livelihood.
The area corresponding to present Tateyama was a source of high-quality Simon bamboo (about 1.5 cm thick and slender) and served as a production area for Edo uchiwa. After the Great Kanto Earthquake and the war, many wholesalers and craftsmen migrated to Boshu, leading to the spread of uchiwa production here.
Farmers would cut bamboo during the farming off-season after the rice harvest, and since this area has a long history as a fishing town, it developed into a major production area, also involving the fishing wives during times when they could not go out to fish.