Japanese summers are muggy, humid, and relentless. So whether they are in the city or countryside, Japanese people are always looking to get an edge in terms of staying cool in the face of oppressive summer heat and humidity. Air-conditioning is obviously the best way to do so indoors, but even when at home, there tends to be a cultural emphasis on not wasting energy and conserving it for the more desperate times. That's why even today traditional Japanese fans such as sensu (扇子, a folding fan) and uchiwa (うちわ, a handheld fan) are commonly carried and used. Now, in keeping with quirky but practical Japanese combinations of tech and tradition, Thanko has made a silent USB powered electrical uchiwa fan available.

A switch allows the speed to be adjusted

It's pretty much what it says it is--an automatically flapping uchiwa that can be plugged into a USB slot, and is equipped with a timer and adjustable speeds. It may look silly at first, but sometimes you work up a sweat just trying to stay cool by manually flapping a fan. If you don't mind the aesthetic, this is a pretty painless way to enjoy the cool and pleasant breeze of an uchiwa without holding it yourself.

No AC wasted on open-door settings.

It looks rather at home outside.

Take a nap and imagine being fanned by...a fan, I suppose!

The quiet and semi-traditional self-fanning fan is available at Thanko for 5,980 yen ($58.24 USD). Here's a video that shows off the adjustable speeds and function of the fan.