How is it different from the Chinese umbrella dance?

The Japanese parasol is tilted and held to show its rib pattern; the Chinese one is spun so it reads as an opening flower. Different objects, different movement, different mood.

Can you theme it to a season?

Yes — the repertoire is organised that way. Tell us the date or the theme and we will suggest which piece fits.

Can it be performed outdoors?

We advise against it. Washi paper is damaged by damp and the parasols catch wind. A covered space may work.

Does it work during dinner?

Yes. It is quiet and stays in position, so it can be placed within a meal without stopping service.

Japanese Umbrella Dance Hire London | Wagasa Parasol Dancers

The Chinese parasol turns. This one tilts and holds.

The wagasa is the Japanese parasol — bamboo frame, washi paper, lacquered, with the radial rib pattern visible from beneath. In dance it is treated as a flat plane to be angled rather than a shape to be spun, and pieces are built around a season.

WhatOne to six dancers with washi-paper wagasa, to recorded accompaniment.

OriginThe wagasa is a craft object before it is a prop: bamboo and handmade washi paper, oiled for waterproofing, made by a trade that has contracted sharply since Western umbrellas took over, so that many surviving makers now supply theatre and dance. Parasols appear throughout kabuki and Japanese folk dance, where they carry the weather and therefore the season — and in a tradition that organises so much of its aesthetics around seasonal reference, that makes them unusually loaded.

WhereSeated audiences and anything with a seasonal or calendar theme. Quiet enough to run during a meal.

What it is

The parasol is treated as a flat plane to be angled rather than a shape to be spun. That difference is the whole character of the act: the Chinese parasol turns, the Japanese one tilts and holds.

What happens in performance

Parasols are angled to present the underside to the audience, so the rib pattern becomes the visual motif. Dancers shift them through a sequence of held planes rather than a continuous turn.

Group formations build overlapping circles — one parasol behind another at a slightly different height, so the ribs align and then break apart as the dancers move.

Pieces are usually built around a season: cherry blossom, summer rain, autumn leaves, snow.

Where it works

It suits seated audiences and anything with a seasonal or calendar theme. Because it is quiet and static in position, it also works during a meal in a way a large travelling dance does not.

Like Japanese fan dance, the geometry is built to be seen from the front. For a standing reception, the Chinese umbrella dance is the better choice.

Cultural background · 文化背景

Because the parasol carries the weather, it carries the season — and in a tradition that organises so much of its aesthetics around seasonal reference, the choice of piece is also a choice of month.

Practical requirements

Around 5m × 5m of clear floor for a small group and about 3m of height. Parasols are wider than the dancer, so allow for the spread.

Indoor is strongly preferred. Washi paper is damage-prone in damp, and the parasols catch wind.

Duration: 4–6 minutes per piece
Performers: 1–6 dancers
Floor space: 5m × 5m minimum
Ceiling height: 3m minimum
Noise level: Low — recorded accompaniment
Indoor / outdoor: Indoor preferred
Setup time: 30 minutes
Best for: Receptions, cultural programmes, seasonal events

Japanese Umbrella Dance