Washi: Japanese Paper from Bark and How It Differs from Ordinary Paper

Bark of Three Plants Instead of Wood Pulp

Washi (和紙) is made not from wood pulp, like ordinary paper, but from the long bast fibers of the bark of three plants: 楮 (kozo, paper mulberry), 三椏 (mitsumata), and 雁皮 (gampi). Each has its own character. Kozo fiber is the longest and coarsest of the three; it yields the strongest paper, which can be made very thin and still will not tear. Mitsumata is a softer, finer fiber, so the paper comes out smooth and slightly glossy. Gampi is a short but resilient fiber; it produces translucent paper with a special luster.

Why Long Fiber Holds Paper Together

• Kozo fiber is the longest and coarsest of the three, so paper made from it resists tearing best.
• The longer the fiber, the more tightly it interweaves with its neighbors during sheet formation, and the stronger even a very thin sheet becomes.
• In factory paper made from wood pulp, the fiber is shorter than in any of the three plants — hence the difference in strength between washi and ordinary paper.
• Because of the long fiber, a sheet of washi is not cut but torn: the edge comes out uneven and fuzzy, not straight.

Nagashizuki: How the Mold Is Rocked, Not Just Held

Washi is formed by the 流し漉き (nagashizuki) method: the fiber solution is splashed back and forth over a mesh mold, rather than simply left to settle as in the Western 溜め漉き (tamezuki). The rocking distributes the long fibers in an even layer and allows them to be layered several times, so the sheet comes out thin yet strong. The work is seasonal: the fiber is gathered and boiled in winter, when cold water slows spoilage of the raw material and the neri mucilage keeps its viscosity longer.

Neri Is Not Glue but a Thickener

• Neri is a viscous mucilage obtained from the root of tororo-aoi, a plant in the mallow family.
• It does not glue the fibers together but slows how quickly water drains through the mold's mesh: during that time the fibers manage to settle in an even layer and interweave.
• Without neri, it is impossible to form a thin and strong sheet by the nagashizuki method: the solution would simply drain too quickly.
• The combination of neri and rocking the mold is considered Japan's own contribution to paper technology, not a common technique of Eastern paper craft.

Not Just Shoji: Restoration, Banknotes, and the UNESCO List

Thin but strong kozo paper is used not only for shoji and lanterns but also for the canopy of wagasa folding umbrellas: it is also used to restore paintings and worn books. A sheet can be matched precisely to the required thickness, and a seam in it does not give itself away over time. Since 1879, paper made from mitsumata fiber has also been mixed into the material for Japanese banknotes — the National Printing Bureau lists mitsumata among the raw materials for the yen, along with abaca Manila hemp. Three specific papers are officially recognized as UNESCO intangible heritage, and they were not recognized all at once. In 2009, one technique, Sekishu Banshi, was inscribed, and in 2014 the remaining two joined it under the common name 'Washi: Craftsmanship of Traditional Japanese Hand-Made Paper.'

Three Papers from the UNESCO List

和紙: Japanese Paper Versus 'Western'

紙 — значение: paper, sheet of paper — онъёми: シ — кунъёми: かみ — 10 штрих(ов). 紙 — 'paper': on the left is the element 糸 'thread', on the right is the sign 氏, which in this kanji is responsible only for the sound 'shi', not for meaning.

和紙 vs. 洋紙: Japanese Paper and 'Western' Paper

和紙 is composed of 和 'Japan, Japanese' and 紙 'paper'. Its counterpart in the language is 洋紙, yōshi, 'Western paper': ordinary paper made from cellulose, which came to Japan in the 19th century along with industrial printing. Before that, the word 'washi' simply did not exist — paper was just called 紙, and it needed a separate name only when another, foreign paper appeared alongside it.

Write 紙 along the guides — the sign for 'paper', which ends both 和紙 and 洋紙.

FAQ

What is washi paper?

Washi (和紙) is handmade Japanese paper made from the long bast fibers of kozo, mitsumata, or gampi bark, not from pulped wood like ordinary paper. Hence its main property: it is tear-resistant even in a very thin sheet.

What is washi made from?

From the bark of three plants. 楮 (kozo, paper mulberry) yields the strongest paper, 三椏 (mitsumata) a smooth and slightly glossy one, 雁皮 (gampi) a thin, translucent paper with a special luster. The fiber is formed on a mesh mold by the nagashizuki method, with neri mucilage added to the solution.

Why is washi so strong?

Because the bark fibers are noticeably longer than the wood-pulp fibers of ordinary paper and interweave tightly during sheet formation. The nagashizuki method, in which the solution is rocked on the mold rather than simply left to settle, distributes these long fibers in an even layer.

How is 'washi' written in Japanese?

和紙, read わし, washi. 和 means 'Japan, Japanese', 紙 means 'paper'. The counterpart to this word is 洋紙, yōshi, 'Western paper': ordinary cellulose paper that appeared in Japan later, in the 19th century, along with industrial printing. Before that, a separate name for paper was simply unnecessary.

Which types of washi are on the UNESCO list?

Three techniques: 石州半紙 (Sekishu Banshi) from Shimane, recognized first in 2009, and added in 2014 本美濃紙 (Honmino-shi) from Gifu and 細川紙 (Hosokawa-shi) from Saitama. Together they make up the list entry 'Washi: Craftsmanship of Traditional Japanese Hand-Made Paper.'

Where is washi used today?

In shoji, paper lanterns, and the canopies of wagasa folding umbrellas, in the restoration of paintings and old books. Since 1879, mitsumata fiber has been mixed into the paper for Japanese banknotes. Washi is also used for origami: for cranes and other figures, a separate, thinner grade is used.

Sources

• Kotobank: dictionary entry 和紙
• UNESCO: Intangible Heritage list, washi
• National Printing Bureau of Japan: banknote materials
• Kotobank: 和紙