Wagasa – Traditional Japanese Umbrella

Wagasa (和伞) are traditional Japanese umbrellas, made of bamboo 竹 (wood) and washi 和纸(traditional Japanese paper). They were first introduced to Japan from China in the early Heian period (794-1185). The older form of wagasa umbrella was quite different from today’s traditional Japanese umbrellas in that they looked more like a straw hat with a cape and were used, not so much to keep out the rain, but as a way to protect members of the public. the imperial family and the aristocrats from sunlight and evil spirits. Towards the end of the 14th century, umbrellas developed into what we know today.

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The first Japanese umbrellas could not be folded. The collapsible structure was an innovation that occurred in the Azuchi Momoyama period (1568-1603). By the middle of the Edo period (1603-1868), umbrella production had become a handicraft process, and production increased rapidly as umbrellas became a popular item among common people since until then, only protected from the rain with straw hats and capes.

The famous picture books of the Edo period clearly show that umbrellas were a part of daily life. A print by ukiyoe artist Hiroshige Ando (1797-1858) shows a group of people with umbrellas walking briskly under an evening shower (this print is one of Hiroshige’s famous Meisyo Edo Hyakkei or One Hundred Famous Scenes of Edo )

Wagasa are also known as Karakasa (Chinese umbrellas) since the first umbrellas came to Japan from China. However, many researchers believe that the word karakasa is an abbreviation for a Japanese phrase meaning “magic umbrella”, referring to the magical way that Japanese umbrellas can be folded and opened when needed. Today we take folding umbrellas for granted, but the innovation and craft skills required for such a structure are rare among Japanese craft traditions.

Historically, Japanese umbrellas have also long been a popular fashion accessory. Although they were practical tools for sheltering from rain and sunlight, they also had to be attractive and stylish, as fashion was a major industry in Japan from the mid-Edo period onward. Many paintings from the Edo period depict beautiful women in beautiful kimono with a modern umbrella in hand.

For centuries, Japanese umbrellas have also been an essential accessory to the Japanese tea ceremony, kabuki, and other important forms of traditional Japanese culture. The wagasa were designed and produced for all kinds of people and situations. Indeed, Japan is one of the only countries in the world that can claim to have such an ancient and original umbrella culture.