Oiled umbrellas placed out to dry, taken from the early 1900s.

Note the abundance of spokes – a lovely characteristic of Wagasa.

Original customer listing notebooks collected and preserved by Tsujikura.

Although made of paper these umbrellas are indeed waterproof.

Established in 1690, Tsujikura have a very long history of umbrella making.

It takes many artisans many weeks to make just one of these meticulously crafted umbrellas by Tsujikura from Japan. Wagasa, a traditional Japanese umbrella is something I fell in love with when I was in Kyoto last year. They are made with Japanese paper (washi) and bamboo and the handwork that goes into making just one of these is truly amazing. If you’re heading to Kyoto be sure to visit the Tsujikura gallery and shop – address details here.