First published in 2002 by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd
Copyright © 2002 Tuttle Publishing
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ISBN 0-8048-3344-3
ISBN 978-1-4629-1663-4 (ebook)
LCC Card Num.ber 2002108052
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Contents
Cherry Blossom Box in Two Sizes
Crane Pencil Holder and Pencil
Obi Wall Hanging, Refrigerator Magnet and Ornament
Introduction
Washi, literally "traditional Japanese paper", is the Japanese word for all types of paper, including traditional handmade sheets as well as similar-looking papers produced by modern manufacturing methods. This book, however, is concerned with the paper made by hand by artisans all over Japan.
Washi paper is the material of the craftsman, the painter, the calligrapher, the designer, the architect, and the tea master. Paper screens are an integral part of every house. People in both town and country use Japanese paper in all aspects of their daily lives: in umbrellas, fans, lanterns, lamps, containers, toys, origami, and other crafts. In Shinto rites, paper symbolizes the purifying aspect of the god.
Although the art of making paper was first developed in China, it spread to Japan in the seventh century AD along with Buddhism. Buddhist monks initially produced it for writing scriptures, but the flowering of a court culture during the Heian period (794—1192) created a demand for official papers and for decorated sheets for poetry and diaries. This, in turn, stimulated the development of government mills as well as a local cottage industry. The decline of the imperial court and the rise of the samurai warrior class after AD 1192, led to a demand for good-quality utility paper, while the development of printing and the architectural use of paper in sliding screens and doors added a new dimension to paper consumption. By the late 1800s, more than 100,000 Japanese families were making paper by hand for everyday use—for utensils, housing, and even clothing. After the opening of Japan to the West during the Meiji Restoration, mechanized paper-making technology was introduced to Japan, creating stiff competition for local paper-making households. However, a vigorous folk craft market from the mid-1920s, as well as a publishing boom after World War II, stimulated a demand for large quantities of handmade paper. Although only 350 families were still actively producing Washi in the mid-1990s, the unbelievable range of color, textures, and designs of the papers which continue to be produced, is testimony to Japan's unrivalled skill in all types of paper making. Japan continues to produce a greater quantity and variety and a higher quality of handmade paper than the rest of the world combined.
Washi is traditionally made by hand from the long inner fibers of the bark of three native plants: the kozo, mitsumata, and gampi. Kozo (Broussonetia kazinoki) is a shrub of the mulberry family. Reaching 3 meters at full growth, the plant is easy to cultivate and regenerates annually. The inner bast fiber is the longest, thickest and strongest of the three plants and is therefore the most widely used in paper-making; kozo is also considered the masculine element, the protector. Mitsumata (Edgeworthia chrysantha), a shrub of the daphne family, reaches a height of 2 meters. Graceful, delicate and soft—it is said to be the feminine element—it can be harvested only once every three years after planting and its paper is therefore more expensive. Because its fiber is thin and soft, it produces smooth paper with excellent printability. It is also insect resistant. Gampi (Wikstroemia sikokiana), like mitsumata, is a shrub of the daphne family, reaching a height of 2 meters when mature. The earliest fiber to be used for paper making, and considered to be the noblest because of its richness, dignity and longevity, the long, thin fibers produce the most lustrous of the three papers. However, the relative scarcity of the plant make its papers the most expensive. Other natural fibers, such as abaca, hemp, horsehair and rayon, as well as silver and gold foil, are sometimes used for making Washi or are mixed in with the other fibers for decorative effect.