Sensu/Ōgi, Uchiwa and Tessen

The fan symbolizes friendship, respect and good wishes.^{[citation needed]} They are given on special occasions, and they are also an important stage prop in Japanese dance.

Japanese fans are made of paper on a bamboo frame, usually with a design painted on them. In addition to folding fans (ōgi),^[12] the non-bending fans (uchiwa) are popular and commonplace.^[13] The fan is primarily used for fanning oneself in hot weather.

It was also used in the military as a way of sending signals on the field of battle, however fans were mainly used for social and court activities. In Japan, fans were variously used by warriors as a form of weapon, by actors and dancers for performances, and by children as a toy.

A war fan (tessen) is a fan designed for use in warfare. Several types of war fans were used by the samurai class of feudal Japan. War fans could also be used as weapons, The art of fighting with war fans is tessenjutsu.^[1]
 
Hand fans have two general categories:^{[citation needed]}

1. Fixed (or rigid, flat) fans (Chinese: 平扇, pǐng shàn; Japanese: 団扇, uchiwa, cannot be folded): circular fans, palm-leaf fans, straw fans, feather fans, etc.
2. Folding fans (Chinese: 折扇, zhě shàn; Japanese: 扇子, sensu, can be freely opened): silk folding fans, paper folding fans, sandalwood fans, etc.