A RESTAURANT FOODS Teams Up With Kumamoto's Kurikawa Shoten on Custom "ARF Kutami Shibu-uchiwa" Fans
A RESTAURANT FOODS, an online store supplying high-quality ingredients to restaurants, has partnered with Kurikawa Shoten, a long-established maker of Kutami shibu-uchiwa in Yamaga, Kumamoto Prefecture, to design an original fan inspired by the store's ingredients. Starting July 1, customers who purchase ¥50,000 (tax included) or more from the online store during the campaign period will receive the "ARF Kutami Shibu-uchiwa" as a free gift.
Background
As summer heat intensifies, A RESTAURANT FOODS turned to the Kutami shibu-uchiwa, a craft with more than 400 years of history in Kumamoto. Fans made in the Kutami area are prized for their durability, said to "last a long time," and the place name is also associated with a phrase meaning "many people come," making the fans a popular good-luck charm for business prosperity. The collaboration brings together the fan makers' traditional craftsmanship and the store's carefully selected ingredients as a way to thank restaurant customers.
Design inspired by shamo, a type of game fowl
Design inspired by seafood -- sea bream, conger eel, and crab
Features of the "ARF Kutami Shibu-uchiwa"
- Modern designs inspired by ingredients -- The store's popular shamo (game fowl) and seafood items are rendered in graphic motifs that blend the traditional look of Kutami shibu-uchiwa with a modern touch.
- Kurikawa Shoten's craftsmanship -- Kutami, in Kumamoto Prefecture, is the only production area for shibu-uchiwa in Japan. Kurikawa Shoten, a long-established maker founded in 1889, hand-finishes each fan using natural bamboo and washi paper.
- Practical for restaurant use -- The washi paper, coated in persimmon tannin, is durable enough to last more than a hundred years and offers strong insect- and mold-resistant properties. The fans can be used to fan sushi rice or charcoal, or simply enjoyed for their cooling touch and interior charm in summer.
(Design cooperation: Awatsuji Design Co., Ltd.)
Campaign Overview
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Gift | "ARF Kutami Shibu-uchiwa" (choice of the shamo or seafood design) |
| Condition | Cumulative purchases of shamo- or seafood-related ingredients totaling ¥50,000 (tax included) or more during the campaign period; a single purchase is not required, but interior items and tableware do not count toward the total |
| Limit | One fan per customer |
| Period | July 1 to August 31, 2026, or while the fans last |
| Eligibility | All customers of the A RESTAURANT FOODS online store |
| Details | https://arestaurantfoods.com |
About Kurikawa Shoten
Since its founding in 1889, Kurikawa Shoten has produced traditional shibu-uchiwa in the Kutami district of Yamaga, Kumamoto Prefecture, using natural materials such as bamboo and washi paper, with every fan finished by hand.
