My home town does not have any weaving or dyeing culture, but has a washi paper culture. Washi is a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage, and there is even a person designated intagible cultural asset named Mr. Iwano (9th generation). I remember I had a washi making tour a couple of times. There are still 67 paper mills that use either handmade, industrial, or processing methods, with about 500 people working in Washi related jobs. The Imperial family still uses Echizen Washi to announce their baby’s birth with his / her name on it.

Some 1500 years ago, when Emperor Keitai lived in Echizen as Prince Ohto, a beautiful princess descended upon a village on the Okamoto River and taught the people there how to make paper. This princess, Kawakami-gozen, turned out to be the goddess of paper, and with her visit she founded Echizen’s washi industry. People built Okamono shrine to dedicate her and have been carrying on the tradition of paper making.

When paper began to be used in large quatities by the warrior class, and the shogunate and feudal lords gave paper producing area their patronage and further developments were made. During the Meiji period, Dajyokan Kinsatsu, Japan’s first nationally used currency notes were manufactured in Echizen. In more recently many artists including the famous painter, Taikan Yokoyama, have favored Echizen papers, which are well known throughout the country. Featuring a delicate texture and a wide variety, the paper made in Echizen has no equal in its variety among papers produced in Japan.

Washi is made from three main materials, such as kozo ( mulberry ), mitsumata and gampi. The bark of each kind is used for making Japanese paper after the long processes to take out of its fiber. They also use also use hemp, bamboo, wood pulp as well. Though the techniques may appear very simple, there is a profound tradition behind the making of Japanese Washi. Paper makers need to scoop the pulp onto a screen with subtle techniques. The pulpy water scopped into the screen is flowed across the vat and foam the complex wavy pattern. The water is carefully tossed until evenly spread to make a beautiful sheet of washi paper. It is said that paper makers find out how difficult to make papers after 10 years of experience.

Here are different kinds of washi paper.

Hosho: kizuki-hosho, otaka-danshi
Used for woodblock printing, wrapping paper for traditional ceremony gifts, certificate paper, etc.

Gasenshi (drawing paper): gasenshi, gashi
Used for calligraphy, drawing, Japanese style painting, copying sutras, etc.

Torinoko:
Used for fusuma ( sliding paper door ), wall paper, folding screen, woodblock printing, card, diploma, etc.

Koma-gami: komagami for art and crafts paper
Used for sake label, post card, letter paper, envelope, brochure, wrapping paper, umbrella paper, etc.　

Kyokushi:
Used for certificates, diploma, business card, post card, watercolor painting etc.

Washi paper may not be the most precious gift which Japanese received from the nature, yet it is quite exquisite and gives beauty and warmth to our heart as much as kimonos.