The Beatles, 'Jaws' and other classic icons get a Japanese fan re-invention

Isshindo is a Japanese company that creates products that add a modern twist to traditional Japanese items. One of their products, for example, repurposes the omamori (お守り - an amulet sold in Japan’s shrines and temples for good luck) into a tiny pouch for a lip balm.

Another traditional item that gets modernized is the uchiwa (団扇), a type of hand fan made out of bamboo & paper and shaped like a tennis table racket. The company’s Hidari Uchiwa fans are a more compact version of the typical uchiwa and the fans’ print designs comprise of mostly modern patterns.

The patterns not only look more modern, but some designs even include popular characters like Snoopy and the anime robot cat siblings Doraemon and Dorami.

Classic pop culture icons like The Beatles, "Jaws" and Ultraman also get transformed into designs for the uchiwa. The Beatles designs reference two of the British rock legends’ albums, namely, Help! and Yellow Submarine. Meanwhile, the "Jaws" design is taken straight out of the 1975 movie poster and Ultraman’s design poses the superhero in one of his signature moves.

These designs appear as part of Hidari Uchiwa’s 2020 new pattern announcement made through the company’s press release. There’s no word on when these designs will be available to the public, but they’re expected to go on sale through Isshindo’s website and through department stores in Japan that sell Hidari Uchiwa products.

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