江戸時代から続くうちわ、扇子の製造

[From May Issue 2010]

IBASEN COMPANY LTD.

Uchiwa (Japanese fans) are not only used to cool off during the summer time, they have other uses such as fanning away smoke while cooking and chasing away insects. Sensu differs from uchiwa mainly because of its compact shape when folded, making it easier to carry. It has long been incorporated into fashion where it was originally used to create a breeze. There are many varieties of sensu that are used for different occasions – for instance, a gold or silver sensu is for celebratory events such as weddings, a black sensu is for funerals, while others are used in classical Japanese dance and tea ceremonies.

IBASEN CO., LTD. has a history that dates back almost 400 years. Initially it sold washi (Japanese paper) and bamboo products, but around the latter Edo Period it began trading in uchiwa-ukiyoe (fan woodblock prints), applying the woodblock prints to fans. “It was what you would call a printing company today. We had ukiyoe artists like UTAGAWA Toyokuni and Hiroshige draw the drafts, then we made them by coloring in the prints and adding patterns,” says the President, YOSHIDA Nobuo.

The uchiwa-ukiyoe with picturesque scenery and characters gained much popularity, and soon the “Ibaya” store name became very well-known along Edo’s streets. Around the same time, when the era changed from Edo to Meiji, Ibasen started to trade sensu as well. “Uchiwa and sensu both use woodblock prints, so the same techniques are applied,” says Yoshida.

Yoshida became president 33 years ago, at the age of 28. “I was not pressured about taking over a tradition. It is purely business, so I continue to think about what kind of products we manufacture, and how we can provide them to more customers,” he says. He started their internet shopping site about 5 years ago describing it as “a doorway for the customers to step into.”

In fact, the company offers many more products than are listed on their site. Apart from the regular, company-designed items, custom-made fans using personal photos, illustrations and poems that are brought in by individuals are also popular. A majority of the customers who visit their store are in their 30’s and 40’s with many non-Japanese tourists also coming by to try the actual items and ask the store staff for advice before purchasing one.

Apart from their own store, Ibasen products are also sold in department stores and, the company also actively participates in events that promote Japanese concepts such as “Wa (harmony, peace and balance).” “We hope to advance further into the Asian markets in the near future. For example, we would like to open a shop in Shanghai, China, and demonstrate our design skills, which is our pride and joy, to give it our best shot,” he says.

IBASEN COMPANY LTD.

[2010年5月号掲載記事]

株式会社伊場仙

うちわは、夏に涼しい風をおこすためだけでなく、料理のときに煙をあおいだり、虫を追い払ったりという目的でも使われます。うちわと違い、折りたためる扇子は持ち歩いてもかさばらず、あおいで風をおこす目的以外でもファッションとして取り入れられました。金色や銀色のものは結婚式などのお祝いの席で、黒いものは葬式用に、あるいは日本舞踊や茶道用など、種類もたくさんあります。

株式会社伊場仙は、およそ400年続く会社です。当初は和紙や竹製品を扱う店でしたが、江戸時代後期には木版画技術を活かしたうちわ浮世絵の製造販売を始めました。「今で言う出版印刷業です。歌川豊国や広重など浮世絵師たちに依頼した下絵に色や柄を加えて作っていました」と取締役社長、吉田誠男さんは話します。

風景や人物を描いたうちわ浮世絵は人気を集め、当時の店名「伊場屋」の名は江戸市中に広まりました。また、元号が江戸から明治に変わるころ、伊場仙では扇子を取り扱うようになります。「扇子もうちわと同じ木版画なので、技術は同じです」と吉田さんは言います。

吉田さんが社長になったのは、今から33年前、28歳のときでした。「伝統を引き継いだなどというプレッシャーはありませんでした。あくまでも商売ですから、より多くのお客様にどのような商品をどう提案していくかを考え続けています」。5年ほど前からはインターネットでの販売を開始しましたが、「お店に足を運んでもらうための窓口です」と言います。

実際、店舗にはホームページに掲載されていない数多くの商品が並んでいます。同社がデザインした商品だけでなく、個人が持ち込んだ写真やイラスト、詩などを印刷したオリジナル扇子も好評です。店を訪れるお客は30代から40代が中心です。外国人観光客も多く、実際の商品を手に取ったり、スタッフのアドバイスを聞いたりして商品を選びます。

直営店だけでなく、百貨店にも出店し、「和」をテーマにしたイベントなどにも積極的に参加しています。「今後はアジア市場にも進出していきます。たとえば中国の上海あたりに出店して、当社自慢のデザイン力で勝負するつもりです」と吉田さんは話します。

株式会社伊場仙

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