Gifu Wagasa
By Claire Ann Wellesley
Gifu Wagasa is the traditional Japanese umbrella, which has a sense of ornament, ritual, and design.
It was a period of poetry and painting, and has occupied a central space in Japanese ceremony, and fashion for a thousand years.
The sunlight flowing through translucent and colorful washi paper reproduces the feeling of a skylight.
Traditional Wagasa artisans from the village of Gifu, draw on a range of influences to create this impression.
A Gifu Wagasa is made of bamboo from the Kiso River, and Mino-washi, a paper crafted from bark and plant fibers, and coated with flax oil and natural lacquer.
The rib structure is made from a single bamboo cane, which, when closed forms the original shape of the cane. When opened, the wagasa silhouette is an arrangement of geometric design and elegant color.
