Love this fan. As an American, I have never seen an authentic Japanese fan like this, only knock-offs. You must be careful when opening, so as not to bend it the wrong way. Just look at the folds of the fan to know which way to open. It will feel like you will break it at first because it is so stiff, but know that it gets easier the more you use it. Once opened, it is very sturdy and pretty. It also works very well for actually fanning yourself off too!