Design in Japan
1 / 1
KOTOBA ASOBI LUCKY FOLDING FAN | TANIGUCHI SHOYUDO
£22.00Japanese wordplay and auspicious symbols, hidden within a traditional folding fan.
A little good fortune, hidden in Japanese wordplay.
Part of the Kotoba Asobi series, this folding fan brings together traditional Japanese lucky motifs and playful expressions, with each design carrying its own wish for good fortune.
Look a little closer and the illustrations reveal more than decoration. Horses, Daruma, frogs and koi are paired with Japanese expressions and homophones to create visual wordplay — turning each fan into a small message of encouragement, happiness or prosperity.
Made with a paper leaf and bamboo ribs, the fan features a carefully finished double-sided construction, allowing the design to be enjoyed from both sides when opened.
Lightweight and practical for warmer days, it also makes a thoughtful gift for anyone interested in Japanese language, symbolism and everyday culture.
Variant Introduction
01 — Umaku Iku · Nine Horses
うまくいく（馬九行久）
A wish for things to go well.
Nine horses represent nine forms of good fortune, including prosperity, success, family happiness, love, health and achievement. Their arrangement also creates a playful visual expression of umaku iku — a Japanese phrase meaning “things will go well.”
02 — Nanakorobi Yaoki · Daruma
七転び八起き
Fall seven times, rise eight.
One of Japan’s best-known expressions of perseverance, nanakorobi yaoki celebrates the determination to stand up again, however many times life knocks us down. The Daruma figures make this message of resilience visible across the fan.
03 — Shiawase Mukaeru · Six Frogs
幸せ六蛙
A playful wish for happiness to find its way back to you.
In Japanese, kaeru can mean both “frog” and “to return”. Six little frogs play on wishes for money to return, loved ones to return safely, youth to return, lost things to return, and a return to one’s original spirit — together forming a warm expression of welcoming happiness.
04 — Goriyaku · Five Koi
五鯉躍
Five koi, carrying a wish for good fortune.
The name Goriyaku plays with the characters for “five”, “koi” and “leap”, echoing the Japanese word goriyaku — blessings or divine favour. Five lively koi leap across the fan as an auspicious motif for good fortune.
PRODUCT DETAILS
Brand
Taniguchi Shoyudo
Country of origin
Design in Japan
Size
Main body 225mm (7.5")
Material
Paper, bamboo
Shipping
Shipped directly from the UK warehouse.