It is said that about 1500 years ago, a beautiful princess appeared in the Okagawa River in this village and taught the art of papermaking. During the Nara period, it was highly valued as paper for copying Buddhist scriptures.
Later, as samurai began to use paper in large quantities, papermaking techniques and production volume improved, leading to the creation of high-quality paper such as "Echizen Hosho." The region developed as a paper-producing area under the protection of the shogunate and feudal lords. In modern times, it gained strong support from many artists, including Yokoyama Taikan, and its name became known throughout Japan.

• Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques

  1. Papermaking shall be carried out by one of the following methods:
  (1) In the case of the official paper, the following techniques or methods shall be used:
  (i) By the "storage and pulp" method.
  (b) The mat should be made of wire mesh.
  Do not use "neri".
  (2) For papers other than those issued by the bureau, the following techniques or methods shall be used:
  (i) Using the "nagashi-suki" (flow-casting) method.
  (b) The mats used should be made of bamboo or gauze.
  For the "neri" (a type of paste), use tororo aoi (a type of okra).

   

  2. Drying shall be carried out by "board drying" or "iron plate drying".

   

  raw materials

  The main ingredients shall be paper mulberry, mitsumata, ganpi, or hemp.

• Work scene

  Work scene

  Step 1: Boiling

  The raw materials—mitsumata, kozo, ganpi, and Manila hemp—are boiled in a pot mixed with caustic soda or soda ash. The amount of soda ash and the boiling time are adjusted according to the raw materials and intended use. For example, ganpi has a glossy finish and can be used to make thin paper, so it is used for calligraphy paper and high-quality sliding door paper. Kozo has long fibers, so it is used for woodblock printing paper. To use the kozo fibers at their original length, the amount of soda ash is reduced and the boiling time is extended.

  

  Process 2: Dust removal, cleaning

  After boiling, we wash away any impurities such as dirt mixed in the raw materials, as well as any damage to the fibers themselves, by hand. If rain gets in through wounds caused by pruning of the trees used as raw materials or by wind, the damage can penetrate to the inside. At this time, we remove all of these damaged parts as well.

  

  Process 3: Beating

  The raw materials are placed on a zelkova wood board and loosened by beating them with an oak stick. Then, they are further loosened by beating them with a naginata beater.

  

  Step 4: Bleaching

  Depending on the type of paper, it may be bleached or dyed. Apparently, the paper Mr. Iwano makes is naturally colored.

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  Process 5: Straining tank

  We add pastes such as hydrangea and okra. There are different types of pastes, so we use the appropriate one. Sometimes we also mix them together.

  

  Process 6: Paper making

  Paper is made using a papermaking vat. During this process, thread is placed between the sheets of paper. Skilled techniques are required to make the paper with a uniform thickness. The finished sheets of paper are stacked with the same direction. ECHIZEN Washi (Papers) also has a technique called suminagashi (marbling).

  画像をクリックすると動画が再生されます

  Step 7: Pressing

  When several layers are stacked together, they release moisture. Nowadays, a press is used to apply pressure from above and below to remove the moisture.

  

  Step 8: Separation

  After removing the threads that were used to hold the paper in place, the paper is peeled off one sheet at a time. The peeled paper is then attached to a ginkgo wood board to dry. In the past, it was dried in the sun, but now it is dried in a drying room.

  

  Step 9: Glazing

  It varies depending on the application, but for products that require a glossy finish, after drying, they are passed through a roller to create a shine and complete the process.

   

• Close-up

  Close-up

  As a boy, I wanted to become a woodblock print sculptor.

  As an apprentice at the temple gate, Iwano helped his father with his work, learning the art of papermaking by observation and imitation. However, Iwano had a different path in mind. Perhaps because his father's paper was specialized washi (Japanese paper) for woodblock printing, Iwano, who had seen many woodblock prints since childhood, wanted to become a sculptor. However, the supply of washi for woodblock printing was not keeping up with demand. This was in postwar Japan, when the occupying forces were taking ukiyo-e prints back to their home country. He couldn't pursue his dream while washi was being produced at an urgent need. He had no choice but to take over the family business, but there he learned not only about papermaking, but also about the raw material, kozo (mulberry), and the various processes involved in making washi. As he learned more, he became interested in the profound world of washi making and began to take pride in making paper specifically for woodblock printing.

  

  Iwano's work scene

  Surpassing my father

  His father, the previous generation's craftsman, was the first washi paper maker to be designated a Living National Treasure. Iwano, who worked alongside his father making paper, recalls, "Even when I made mistakes, my father never yelled at me or scolded me." "Yelling wouldn't have made me any better at papermaking. He did, however, tell me not to go and look at other people's paper."
  For his father, who used the finest raw materials and skilled techniques to make washi paper, it must have been a parental wish that his son would inherit the traditional techniques without straying from his own tradition. Responding to that wish, Iwano uses the finest white bark of mulberry and adds a small amount of tororo aoi (a type of hibiscus) to the paste during the kneading process. Compared to his father's time, he now receives orders for thicker paper. "When you make paper thicker, it tends to become rough and bumpy, but I've started making that kind of paper too, and I think I'm getting closer to my father's level," he says with a humble smile. "Papermaking is a lifelong learning process; there's no such thing as a master."

  

  Mr. Iwano is particular about even the boards used for drying, saying, "You can't get a good shine unless you use ginkgo wood boards."

  We strive to do our best for the finest washi paper.

  The quality of a print depends on the paper. Therefore, there is no room for cutting corners by simply using "easy-to-print, easy-to-work-with paper." For Mr. Iwano, who works diligently with washi paper every day, the greatest joy is seeing the finished prints and hearing printmakers say, "I can only use Ichibei Iwano's paper." He is a "behind-the-scenes force" supporting Japanese art. Papermaking is a job that leaves no room for shortcuts, so he said, "Every day is about doing my best."
  Mr. Iwano was designated a Living National Treasure in June 2000. Since then, the price of the washi paper he makes has skyrocketed in some stores. "It's gotten so expensive that even fakes are starting to appear," he says with a wry smile.

  The legacy of ECHIZEN Washi (Papers)

  Around the 6th century, papermaking techniques were introduced from the continent. "ECHIZEN Washi (Papers) Village is the birthplace of washi paper, you know. That's why we feel a strong sense of responsibility to pass on this technique," he said, expressing the same passionate feelings as before. He also mentioned that people come from abroad to learn papermaking techniques. If the tradition is passed down secretly within families, it will eventually decline. To truly pass on the art of papermaking, it is necessary to transcend even ethnic boundaries.

  Craftsman Profile

  ​Iwano Ichibei

  The ninth generation Ichibei Iwano.
  In June 2000, he was designated a holder of a nationally designated Important Intangible Cultural Property.

  

  Anecdotes

  A giant piece of washi paper measuring 2.7 meters high and 3.75 meters wide: ECHIZEN Washi (Papers) from Yakushi-ji Temple in Nara.

  On December 31, 2000, a large mural completed over 30 years by Japanese painter Ikuo Hirayama was dedicated to the Great Tang Western Regions Mural Hall within the Genjo Sanzoin Temple complex. The washi paper used to paint this masterpiece, measuring 2.2 meters in height and 49 meters in length, is handmade by Heisaburo Iwano. The enormous washi paper, measuring 2.7 meters in height and 3.75 meters in width, far exceeds the norms of the Japanese washi paper industry. It is also a record-breaking washi paper, specially made by six people.

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    Yakushiji Temple