There are 440 Washi-producing centers throughout Japan. It is widely produced not only as traditional paper using pure kozo, mitsumata, and gampi, but also as more contemporary paper used in art, crafts, folkcrafts, casting, and molding. Washi is an intangible cultural asset and traditional craft product of Japan.
The examples shown here are from Washi, Handmade Paper of Japan (日本の紙 : 全国手漉き和紙見本帖), a specimen book of 307 Washi paper samples in a binder, produced at Ino, Agawa District, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan by Zenkoku Tesuki Washi Rengōka in 1997. Shown here from the top:
Ecchu Washi, Katazomeshi (Stencil Printed Paper): A resist is applied onto the kozo base paper through a stencil. The paper is then dyed, and then the resist paste is washed away to reveal the image.
Mino Washi: Flowers and butterflies are embedded in kozo paper, used for handicrafts and interior decoration.
Echizen Washi, Seikaiha (semicircular repeated wave patterns): mitsumata paper with gold leaf.
Mino Washi: Kozo with embedded butterfly.
Echizen Washi, Kiriasa: Mitsumata paper.
Echizen Washi, Hiryushi: Mitsumata paper.
Sakishu Washi: Unbleached kozo paper is processed by folding the paper and dipping the edge into dyes to create a variety of colors and patterns.
Tosa Washi: Made from kozo and Manila hemp.
Kurotani Washi, Bingata-somegami: Made from kozo, Bingata was produced as one of the folkcrafts in Ryukyu, using a dye and resist method.
Our copy is another donation from our late friend Jerry Buff (1931-2025).
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