WAGASA MAN

Wagasa Man is a nonfictional superhero(?) appearing at Washington DC. He had always the Japanese Traditional Umbrella up.

July 2016

Japanese women frequently use a parasol. Because they think that UV radiation will cause their skin to age. Many Japanese women want to look young. The purpose of a parasol is to prevent the UV radiation that causes wrinkles. And the easiest way of keeping their skin young is by avoiding direct sunlight.

When we are exposed to UV radiation, our skin produces melanin to defend itself. The melanin will remain in the skin cell and can sometimes cause sun spots. Many scientists think that the more white the skin is, the higher the reaction will be.

That's why many Japanese women use a parasol.

I, on the other hand, use a parasol for other reasons. First, without a parasol, the sun is too bright for me. My eyes become heavy without sunglasses when I walk. Second, on a sunny day, I get very hot without a parasol. It's hard for me to be hot.

This is what the Japanese Ministry of the Environment says about the UV radiation,

“UV radiation causes sunburn, actinic keratitis, immune functional decline, wrinkles, sun spots, skin cancer, cataracts and so on. White people are usually affected especially by skin cancer rather than people of color.”

It's easy to find people who have a parasol in Japan, but it's hard in the United States. I sometimes see a parent using a blind for their baby in their stroller, but it's really rare that an adult uses a parasol.

Americans tend to not like their eating habits compared to Japanese people. But they don’t take good care of their skin. Why not? Put a parasol up when the sun shines. It'll be useful for keeping your skin healthy and keep you cool. And if you use a Wagasa as a parasol, you will be cool.

Wagasa is a traditional Japanese umbrella made out of paper, bamboo and thread.

There are several types of Wagasa. Wagasas made for men are heavy while the Wagasas for females are light. Wagasas for the rain are painted oil. An oil painted Wagasa can be used when it's sunny and rainy. However, the paper can be torn after approximately 10-15 years because of the oil. On the other hand, Wagasas that don't use oil paints can be used for dozens of years if used carefully. But it can only be used as a parasol.

Wagasa's durability is lower than a general umbrella, one made out of metal and chemical fiber, but it's more heavy than an umbrella. Because the structure of a Wagasa is supported by paper, bamboo and thread, it cannot help being heavy.

As a result, very few people use Wagasa in Japan now. Even in Japan, people can find Wagasas at limited places, such as kappos which are upmarket Japanese restaurants, high-quality inns, and very old temples. Aside from that we can also find Wagasa in a movie or a TV historical drama. There is no demand for Wagasa, so the amount of craftsmen decreases sharply. Now only a few craftsmen is make Wagasas in Kanazawa, Gifu, and Oita.

Even if people find Wagasas in Japan, most of them are from China. The masterpiece of the Wagasa, which craftsmen put a lot of effort in, are hardly in Japan now. True Wagasa are made in Japan, it painted with oil by hand many times and then dried it by sun, whilst putting ornamental tread very carefully. It takes 3 months to make one Wagasa and the price is more than 50,000 yen (about 500 dollars). It's not a cheap thing at all.

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Nowadays, a lot of people know about Japan. Fujiyama, geisha, sushi, ninja, sukiyaki, or you may know the animation, otaku, ramen and so on. But these are superficial things.

What is the basis of culture of Japan?

I think one of the most fundamental ideals is the "love of things". Japanese people use delicate tools made out of paper, wood, thread, and clay. They use them with great care, and if they are broken, they maintenance it and keep on. Unfortunately, if it is severely broken, Japanese people may display and acknowledge the item. Japanese cherish the transience of fragile things, and enjoy them.

Wagasa is one of the symbolically tools which show Japanese spilits.

After WWII, Japan has rapidly westernized and modernized. Wooden houses were destroyed, large buildings were built. We can go anywhere by the Shinkansen. Life of the Japanese people became prosperous. On the other hand, a few things have quietly disappeared. Wagasa is gone, too.

When I’m using the Wagasa in Japan, I was told by an old person: “how nostalgic”, and by a young person: “It’s cool”. In Washington, D.C., of course I was also told “I like it”, “what a beautiful umbrella”, and so on.

I might be the only one who uses a true Wagasa in the United States. Heavy, fragile, expensive… It seems like Wagasa have no good points, but I love Wagasa. Maybe Wagasa shows the Japanese ideals. That’s why I always carry a Wagasa like glasses.

If you find a man who is carrying a Wagasa in Washington, D.C., the person may be me. Please talk to him, ask: “Are you the Wagasa man?”.

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