Craft · No. 131
No. 131木工品・竹工品
Gifu Japanese Umbrellas
岐阜和傘
gifu wagasa · 岐阜県
Gifu Wagasa are traditional Japanese umbrellas handcrafted in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture. Renowned for their elegant form and meticulous construction, they combine slender bamboo ribs with Japanese washi paper treated with persimmon tannin or oil, producing both functional and decorative masterpieces.
- Origin
- 岐阜県
- Category
- 木工品・竹工品
- Materials
- Bamboo · Washi paper · Lacquer
- Designation
- Nat'l Traditional Craft
No. IHistory
The origins of umbrella-making in Gifu date to the Edo period, when an abundance of high-quality bamboo and washi paper along the Nagara River provide…
No. IIMaterials
The framework relies on madake and hachiku bamboo harvested from the Nagara River basin. Carefully felled at the right season and dried before splitti…
No. IIITechniques
Production is divided into three broad stages — framework construction, paper application, and finishing — all carried out entirely by hand. Bamboo is…
No. IVClimate
The warm, humid climate of the Nagara River basin fosters the growth of high-quality madake and hachiku bamboo, while the clean water and moderate hum…
