Miyawaki Baisen an Kyoto

Miyawaki Baisen an Kyoto

Kyoto is considered as the cultural capital of Japan and not without reasons. The city is home to some of the most well known cultural legacies of Japan. The list includes famous parks and gardens, Japanese traditional pottery shops, the famous Japanese art of Ikebana to name just a few. The city is equally famous for the hand held fans. In fact Japan conjures up the image of a woman with a beautiful hand held fan. If you have ever dreamt of owning one, Miyawaki Baisen-an, Kyoto then should be the place for you. This one stop shop sells arguably the best hand made fans in entire Kyoto.

Set up in 1823, Miyawaki Baisen-an, Kyoto is an elegant shop to say the least. On entering this shop, the first thing you will notice is that the beautiful fans are hanging from the ceiling. The shop sells handmade fans, the very signature of the Japanese culture. In fact the fans are unique to Kyoto. In the ancient days when electric fans were not there, this hand held fans were the only way to beat the heat in the sultry Kyoto summer. The ‘fans’ were an indispensable fashion accessory at that time too. The fans are generally made of silk or paper. However wooden fans are equally popular among the buyers. Made of scented woods like sandal or cypress, a wooden fan naturally commands more price and compared to the paper or silk fans, they also last longer. The fans generally have a Chinese figure painted on them. The full figure becomes visible only after the fan is completely unfolded. Though the figures drawn on the fans are Chinese, fans are however of Japanese origin. The fans make a great gift item.

The prices are as varied as the choice of the fans themselves. The price starts from 2800 Yen (for a small tea ceremony fan) and can go up to 370,000 Yen. Miyawaki Baisen-an, Kyoto accepts payments by credit cards as well as by Japanese yen. International credit cards like Visa, Master card, American Express and Diner’s Club are accepted.

Miyawaki Baisen-an, Kyoto opens its door to the buyers at 9 in the morning and the shop closes for the day at 5 in the evening. The shop is easily accessible from the Shijo station. The Karasuma subway line runs very near from this shop.

Quick facts:

Address: 102 Tominokoji-nishi.
Telephone: 075/221-0181.
Location: Rokkaku-dori, Nakagyo-ku. On Rokkaku Dori just west of Tominokoji

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