Marugame in Kagawa Prefecture became a thriving center for fan production since the Edo period, as all the materials needed to make fans - bamboo, washi paper, and glue - can be found nearby. It was encouraged as a side job for samurai, and became established as a local industry. It was especially popular as a souvenir for "pilgrimage to Konpira shrine,” which became popular during the Edo period. The mainstream Marugame fans are "hira-e," made by splitting and carving bamboo flat, but currently bamboo fans account for less than 20% of total production.