Marugame Uchiwa Museum

A comprehensive fan museum where you can discover the charm of Marugame uchiwa, a nationally designated traditional craft of Japan. In March 2023, the Uchiwa no Minato Museum, formerly located in Minatomachi, Marugame City, relocated to the north side of Nakazu Banshoen Garden and reopened under its new name, Marugame Uchiwa Museum.

Inside the museum, exhibits such as model dolls showing the fan-making process and production materials introduce Marugame uchiwa in an easy-to-understand way. In the live demonstration corner, you can watch skilled artisans up close as they show traditional techniques and production steps, including making bamboo frames and attaching paper. The process is said to involve as many as 47 steps.

You can also try making a Marugame uchiwa with advance reservation. Traditional craft masters and Marugame Uchiwa New Meisters provide careful instruction, making it easy for anyone to join. The experience of attaching washi paper to a bamboo frame and creating your own design makes a perfect travel memory.

There is also a sales corner lined with Marugame uchiwa. With a wide variety of colors and shapes, these highly artistic fans make excellent souvenirs.