1980s Japanese Hinomaru Rising Sun Folding Hand Fan

One flick and the rising sun opens across your hand; a single red circle on pale paper, black ribs, a thread of gold along the edge. Bold, graphic, theatrical, equal parts cooling device and statement. Found in a boutique vintage collection in Tokyo.

A Japanese folding fan (sensu) in the Hinomaru flag motif, a design rooted centuries deep in Japanese iconography. Stamped with a maker's mark.

Folding fans (sensu) have been a Japanese export staple since the Edo period, but the decorative party fan had its real revival in the 1980s, when eveningwear leaned into statement pieces.

Era: 1980s.

Dimensions: 17” x 10.25” open.

Carrying the soft patina that only time can give; significant flaws are always detailed above.