JAPANESE WAR FANS

[VANDOO]

THESE ATTRACTED MY ATTENTION RECENTLY AND I DON'T RECALL THEM ON THE FORUM SO WILL DO A POST.
WITH A LITTLE RESEARCH I FOUND THERE WERE FOUR TYPES
1. GUNSEN " FOLDING FANS USED BY THE AVERAGE WARRIOR TO COOL THEMSELVES. THEY WERE MADE OF BRONZE, BRASS OR A SIMULAR METAL FOR THE INNER SPOKES AND OFTEN USED IRON FOR THE TWO OUTER SPOKES. THEY WERE LIGHT WEIGHT BUT STRONG. WARRIORS WOULD HANG THEIR FANS IN A VARIETY OF PLACES, MOST TYPICALLY FROM THE BELT OR THE BREASTPLATE THOUGH THE LATTER OFTEN IMPEDED THE USE OF A SWORD OR BOW."

2. SAIHAI IT LOOKS MORE LIKE A FLY WHISP THAN A FAN. "THEY WERE TASSELED SIGNALLING FANS WHICH WOULD BE USED BY A COMANDER TO SIGNAL TROOP MOVEMENTS.

3. TESSEN IT RESEMBLED FAN #1 BUT WAS PERHAPS MORE STURDY AND SOMETIMES HAD SHARPENED EDGES FOR SLASHING. SOME HAVE 12 METAL RIBS OTHERS HAVE LESS THE FIGHTING STYLE USING THEM IS CALLED TESSENJUTSU
"TESSEN WERE FOLDING FANS WITH OUTER SPOKES MADE OF IRON WHICH WERE DESIGNED TO LOOK LIKE NORMAL, HARMLESS FOLDING FANS OR SOLID CLUBS SHAPED TO LOOK LIKE A CLOSED FAN. SAMURAI COULD TAKE THESE TO PLACES WHERE SWORDS OR OTHER OVERT WEAPONS WERE NOT ALLOWED. SOME SWORDMANSHIP SCHOOLS INCLUDED TRAINING IN THE USE OF THE TESSEN AS A WEAPON. THE TESSEN WAS ALSO USED FOR FENDING OFF ARROWS AND DARTS AND AS A THROWING WEAPON. IT WAS ALSO USED AS A SWIMMING AID." THE TESSEN SOMETIMES HAD SHARPENED EDGES USED FOR SLASHING. MANY TESSEN HAD IRON SPOKES THRUOUT.

4. UCHIWA "WERE LARGE IRON FANS, SOMETIMES BUILT ON A WOODEN CORE, THEY WERE CARRIED BY HIGH RANKING OFFICERS. THEY WERE USED TO WARD OFF ARROWS, AS A SUNSHADE AND TO SIGNAL TROOPS."

I WILL INCLUDE PICTURES OF THE 4 TYPES ( I DID NOT INCLUDE A PICTURE OF A GUNSEN FAN AS IT LOOKS MUCH THE SAME AS THE TESSEN)
FIRST PIC. SAIHAI, AUTHENTIC TASSELED FORM.
PICS 2,3 &4 TESSEN,
PIC. 5 AUTHENTIC UCHIWA, GOLD WITH BLACK SYMBOL.
PIC 6 AUTHENTIC SOLID IRON TESSEN, WITH CARD IN JAPANESE
PIC. 7 , SILVER AND BLACK UCHIWA (REPLICA)