The Devil Is in the Details
When lifted, it can leave a dusting of burned charcoal on the side of the brazier, and to brush this away, the host uses a fan, called a hakobi, made from a single tail feather, usually of a hawk.
The brushing movement, like everything else in the ceremony, is done according to strict form. As the hakobi is lifted with one hand, for instance, the host places a finger of the other on the far end of the feather. It’s a gesture of respect for the fan.
The fan comes in two types. If you look at a bird’s tail feathers,
