Sensu originated in Japan during the early Heian period, around the ninth century, and is a type of folding fan that could be folded up and carried easily. Gradually, Sensu became more colorful and pictures were added to them. Women in the court began using them too, becoming more of a decorative accessory. People would draw pictures or write waka poems on them, appreciating them as art, while others would dedicate them to the gods and Buddha. They began being used in Shintō ceremonies, sadō tea ceremonies, and buyō or traditional dance.
