What washi is
Washi (wa meaning Japanese, shi meaning paper) is the name for traditional handmade paper in Japan. It is made from the inner bark fibers of certain plants rather than from wood pulp, and it is known for being thin yet strong, with a soft, slightly textured surface. Paper arrived in Japan from the Asian mainland around the time of early contact with Buddhist and Chinese culture, and Japanese makers adapted the craft over many centuries to local plants and water.
The word is also used loosely today for machine-made papers that imitate the look, so it helps to ask how a particular sheet was made.
The fibers
Three plants are most often mentioned.
- Kozo (paper mulberry) produces long, strong fibers, and it is the most widely used. Sheets made from it are tough, flexible and often have a slightly fuzzy feel.
- Mitsumata has shorter, finer fibers that give a smooth, soft sheet. It is often used for paper that takes ink and printing evenly.
- Gampi produces thin, glossy, very fine paper that resists insects, and it is used for delicate purposes. It is harder to cultivate, so supply has traditionally been limited.
Long fibers matter because they tangle together as the sheet forms. A paper of longer fibers can often be thin without tearing easily, which explains how washi can be translucent and still hold up. Other plants, such as hemp and some grasses, have also been used in various regions.
The papermaking idea
The best-known method is called nagashizuki. Without going into instructions, the central idea works like this.
- Bark is boiled, cleaned and beaten so that fibers separate in water.
- The fibers are suspended in a vat together with a plant-derived mucilage called neri. A well-known source is the root of the tororo-aoi plant. The neri slows the water down and keeps fibers floating evenly rather than sinking.
- The papermaker dips a screen in a frame into the vat and moves it in a rhythmic, rocking way so the fibers lock together in layers. Water is flowing out while a thin web forms.
- The wet sheets are stacked, pressed to remove water, and dried, traditionally on boards or heated surfaces.
The cold water of winter is traditionally favored in many areas because it is clean and the neri works well in it, though practice varies. Because the technique depends on the maker’s touch, two sheets by different hands can differ even when materials are identical.
Qualities that shape its uses
Washi tends to have several qualities that explain its range:
- Strength for its weight. Layered long fibers make a thin sheet that can be folded, stretched or even used for clothing and cord.
- Light handling. Light passes through washi and is diffused, giving a gentle glow.
- Breathability. A sliding panel covered with paper can let in air and light while shielding the room.
- Ink behavior. Many sheets absorb ink in a particular way, which suits brush work such as shodo calligraphy and ink painting.
- Longevity. Properly made washi without harsh chemicals is often said to last a very long time, which is why it is used by conservators. Claims of specific lifespans vary and are best treated with care.
Washi in daily and artistic life
The range of uses is wide. Paper has been used for books and scrolls, for documents and wrapping, and for woodblock printing, so ukiyo-e prints depended on suitable handmade sheets. In the home, translucent paper forms the facing of shoji screens, which diffuse daylight and define space. Folding screens and sliding doors use layers of paper over a framework for painting. Lanterns, fans, umbrellas and paper decorations all use sheets of different weights. Washi is also used for folding, in the art of paper folding, and for dolls, boxes and other small crafts. In modern times, it appears in lighting design, bookbinding, restoration of old documents and artists’ materials.
Paper has a role in ritual as well. White paper streamers appear at shrines, and wrapping and gift customs often rely on folded paper, as seen in gift wrapping traditions. White itself carries associations with purity in many Shinto settings, though one should be careful not to generalize.
Regional papers and craft communities
Many regions in Japan are known for local papers, each with its own plant sources, water and habits. Some communities have had papermaking as a winter occupation alongside farming. Over the past century, the number of papermakers has declined while machine-made paper became cheap, and some workshops have changed products to suit new markets, such as stationery or interior materials. Specific numbers are hard to confirm, so it is safest to say that handmade production is now a small but valued part of the craft world.
What to look for
When looking at washi, readers can pay attention to the fibers visible against light, the evenness of the sheet, the thickness and the edges, since a deckle edge is sometimes left on purpose. Reading a label for the plant fibers, whether the sheet is handmade, and whether it contains wood pulp can answer many questions about what it is.
Washi illustrates a theme in Japanese crafts: a simple material, made by skillful repetition, becomes useful in surprising ways. It also shows how closely a craft can be tied to architecture and writing, which makes it a good place to start understanding the other materials in this section.