The Evolution of Wagasa Imagery in Modern Media
By Sébastien Raineri
When the brothers Louis and Auguste Lumière invented the Cinematograph in 1895, they quickly thought of sending camera operators to the four corners of the globe to shoot short films to immortalize exotic landscapes and bear witness to a world in full transformation. Though not very inventive on a formal level - invariably shot in a fixed frame and in a single take -, these films, or "views" as they were called at the time, nevertheless present a certain originality.
With the aim of being screened in France and then in other countries, to make viewers discover places and cultures unknown to them, the value of the preserved images lay in the testimony they brought to the turn of the century, both through the documentary interest of their content and through the choice of subjects, reflecting a vision of the world that is outdated yet instructive. This is evidenced by these archives from the beginning of the last century where precious fragments were captured, especially of daily life in Japan.
Among these scenes, some highlight the busy streets of large cities that were developing, such as Kyoto, where passers-by could be seen walking around and staring at the camera lens with astonished eyes. But even more strikingly, each passer-by used an umbrella to protect themselves from the light rain that fell that day. What is surprising is not that people used umbrellas, but that they used an umbrella that was common at the time and is now much rarer: the wagasa.
Considered the traditional Japanese umbrella, the wagasa is much more than mere accessory, also functioning as a utilitarian, symbolic, and spiritual object. Present in Shinto ceremonies, noh theater stages, or bridal processions, –even functioning as a yorishiro capable of attractingdivine spirits thanks to its circular shape and its handle evoking a sacred pillar– the traditional Japanese umbrella has crossed the centuries as a discreet witness to history and still plays a role far beyond protection from rain or sun. Yet beyond just physical uses, the imagery of wagasa also possesses its own significance, evolving through representations in Japanese cinema, classical poetry, Edo and Meiji literature, and contemporary art, both within Japan and internationally.
Wagasa in Cinema: Elegance, Purity, and Redemption
From the beginning of Japanese cinema in the first decades of the twentieth century, wagasa has been a recurring element, both aesthetic and narrative. Especially present in jidai-geki films (historical works on the medieval history of Japan), it is often used to situate the action in a precise temporal context, evoking the Edo or Meiji periods (1868- 1912). More than an accessory, the wagasa represents, in cinema, a bridge between past and present, between symbolism and realism.
An example of this can be found in one of the most important Japanese ghost films. Ugetsu (1953) by Kenji Mizoguchi, is a mixture of jidai-geki and yurei eiga, inspired by kabuki theater. Very realistic in its first moments, the film turns in an instant into dreamlike fantasy. Wagasa plays a subtle but essential intradiegetic role. When a character crosses a country lane in a light rain, sheltered by a paper umbrella, the scene conveys a palpable melancholy. Fragile in the face of the elements, the umbrella becomes a metaphor for the human condition, exposed and vulnerable in the face of nature and fate. It unfolds in the pouring rain, its subtle patterns and bamboo veins uniquely capturing the light, in a sublime black and white contrast. This poetic use is reinforced by the mise-en-scène, where the umbrella serves as a screen between the character and the outside world, symbolizing both protection and isolation.
In genre cinema, especially chanbara (samurai films), wagasa can also be transformed into an unexpected prop in fight or suspense scenes. For example, in samurai films directed by Akira Kurosawa, a wagasa abandoned in the pouring rain becomes a silent symbol of betrayal or loss. In Rashomon (1950), the traditional umbrella is used to accentuate the atmosphere of tension and drama, creating a stark contrast to the dark, stormy landscapes. The movement of the umbrellas in wind or rain adds a poetic, choreographic dimension.
In Lady Snowblood (1973), wagasa plays a more complex and original role. Based on a manga series and also a major influence on Quentin Tarantino's film Kill Bill (2003), we follow Yuki, the protagonist, who seeks revenge on three of the people who raped her mother and killed her half-brother. In a chapter aptly titled "Umbrella of Blood, Heart of Strewn Flowers," the umbrella is associated with pivotal moments. When Yuki goes to a cemetery, she is enraged by the confirmation of the death of one of her targets and violently destroys flowers on the deceased's grave with her sword. The image of the umbrella, which then appears in the background, seems to signify a veil of protection, a transition between calm and violence.
Wagasa in Literature: A Symbol of Tradition and Ephemerality
In literature, wagasa is often associated with nostalgia, lost love, or the ephemeral, and it embodies an object loaded with metaphors and emotions, becoming a mirror of the characters' moods. Through the ages, it has established itself as a motif rich in meaning, combining aesthetic refinement, emotional symbolism, and anchoring in everyday life.
In classical Japanese poetry, especially waka and haiku, wagasa appears as an element intrinsically linked to mono no aware, an aesthetic sensitivity to the fleeting beauty of the world. This artistic philosophy was notably captured by Basho, one of the greatest masters of haiku, a genius in his ability to capture the moment with brevity. For example, he writes:
With my paper umbrella
I pushed aside its branches and saw
A willow tree
This poem transports the reader through the simplicity of his language in a scene where wagasa becomes a point of convergence between man and his environment, its fragility recalling the transience of human emotions and the seasons. These few syllables condense the essence of wagasa, which invites contemplation and letting go.
Another poem by the master can be found in a work by Isoda Koryusai, entitled Lovers sharing an umbrella, with poem by Basho (1770-1772). The artist included verses by Basho within his painting, which shows two young lovers on a winter's day. The young girl tightens the waistband of her layered dresses to prevent them from dragging in the snow. Her companion, wrapped up in a hood and a long coat, shelters her with a large umbrella.
The drawing is also strongly reminiscent of ukiyo-e engraver Suzuki Harunobu, evoking one of his most famous prints, a drawing of lovers posed under a snowy willow tree (as in Basho's previous poem).
Isoda Koryusai - Lovers sharing an umbrella, with poem by Basho (1770-1772)
In the literature of the Edo and Meiji periods, wagasa became an essential element in descriptions of everyday life. Ukiyo-zoshi genre stories (the first major genre of Japanese popular fiction), popularized in the eighteenth century by authors such as Ihara Saikaku, use wagasa to anchor their plots in the reality of Japanese cities. The umbrella sometimes symbolizes protection in a constantly changing world, sometimes the elegance of a character from the wealthy classes.
In The Life of an Amorous Man (1682), Ihara Saikaku meticulously describes the walks of lovers under wagasa, adding a visual and sensual touch to their exchanges. The umbrella, often adorned with hand-painted motifs, here becomes an extension of feminine charm, an accessory revealing the sophistication of the protagonists. During the Meiji era, with increasing Westernization, literature explored the coexistence of traditional wagasa and Western-style umbrellas (yogasa).
In Natsume Soseki's novels, such as Botchan (1906) or Kokoro (1914), the paper umbrella becomes a marker of a Japan in transition, as opposed to new foreign influences. It becomes a nostalgic object in a country that is dissolving in the face of social and cultural changes. This is also the case in the writings of Banana Yoshimoto, where wagasa is sometimes used to emphasize contrasts between generations. A character can inherit an umbrella that belonged to a relative, and thus becomes a symbol of transmission and memory. Despite its apparent fragility, the object represents the resilience of traditions in the face of the pressures of modern society.
Wagasa in Contemporary art
After World War II, anti-Japanese propaganda made major American cities brutally hostile, especially to Japanese artists. To escape the pressure of her family as well as the conservative ideas of art in Japan, the artist Yayoi Kusama moved to New York in 1957 and led a laborious life. Her meager savings did not allow her to eat or live decently while buying the art supplies she needed. Although she quickly established herself on the international art scene with her happenings and performances, she felt alienated in this huge city.
It is on these feelings of homelessness that she composes a series of twenty-five individual images created nine years after her move. The slide installation Walking Piece (1966) shows the Japanese artist walking around New York City, away from the city's main avenues, dressed in a traditional bright pink kimono and carrying an umbrella decorated with flowers. In the grey sea of houses of this Western metropolis, her foreign, even exotic, presence ironically insists on the stereotype of a Japanese woman, hence the choice of her outfit and a beautifully decorated accessory to which she refers: the wagasa.
The traditional Japanese umbrella is a source of inspiration for contemporary artists who seek a balance between nature and craftsmanship in their work, both in Japan and internationally. Its presence is evident in fields as varied as visual works, dance, and design. Wagasa washi paper, appreciated for its translucency and unique texture, is a material of choice for textile artists. Reiko Sudo, an internationally renowned designer, entrepreneur, university professor, and major figure in preservation and innovation in the Japanese textile industry, uses this material to create works that play with light, reminiscent of the way a wagasa casts delicate shadows.
Japanese visual artist Chiharu Shiota integrates traditional umbrellas into immersive installations, where these objects are often suspended in intricate networks of red threads. International artists such as Olafur Eliasson (a contemporary Icelandic artist) take the architectural principles of wagasa to design immersive structures. The lightweight yet robust bamboo frames inspire installations that explore the interplay of light, shadow, and space. The works of these artists, while modern, pay homage to the sophistication of Japanese artisans while offering a universal vision of nature-inspired art, and explore universal themes such as memory and human connections, celebrating the interplay between the ephemeral and the sustainable.
Wagasa continues to fascinate with its timeless elegance and innovative potential. In classical literature, it evokes the poetry of the seasons and human emotions, while in Japanese cinema it asserts itself as a powerful visual symbol, serving as a metaphor for human relationships, spirituality, or the fragility of life. In contemporary art, it reinvents itself to respond to modern sensibilities, transcending its origins to become a bridge between cultures and eras. Its meticulous design, combining ancestral craftsmanship and refined aesthetics, has stood the test of time and has made the traditional Japanese umbrella a true cultural and artistic icon.
About the Author: Sébastien is a writer and videographer living in Tokyo. Born in 1995 under the sun of Marseille in the South of France, he has been living in Japan since 2022. He has written for several international media outlets, mainly about Japan, art, and cinema. In his free time, he enjoys drinking coffee and taking 35mm photos.
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