Founded in 1912, Suehirodo has been dedicated to making Nagoya folding fans for 110 years. While keeping the tradition alive, the company is also taking on new challenges and KOKUSEN series is one such example. There are two versions—fabric and paper. For the fabric version, the guard and ribs are made of aluminum. They are carved out of one piece of aluminum alloy, stained and then laser engraved with “sayagata” pattern, which can be also found on the silk fabric dyed in deep black color using traditional Nagoya “kuromontsuki zome” dyeing method. Because the guards are made of metallic material, the fan feels cool both to the touch and to the eye. The paper version uses bamboo ribs and guards applied with sayagata pattern and Tosa washi paper dyed with persimmon juice (shibubiki). Japanese lacquer is also applied on the edges of each pleat. The shibubiki method gives luster while the lacquer adds an accent to the fan. Both fabric and paper fans come with a special fan case dyed using the “kuromontsuki zome” method. Working with a traditional company dedicated to kuromontsuki zome, the simple yet stylish folding fans were brought to life. Enjoy the masterful creation infused with Japan’s finest craftsmanship.