 | You can helpexpand this article with text translated fromthe corresponding article in Japanese. (August 2021)Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Washi" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(February 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
.JPG) Sugiharagami (杉原紙), a kind ofwashi | |
| Type | Paper |
|---|---|
| Material | Fibers from the inner bark of thegampi tree, themitsumata shrub, or thepaper mulberry bush. |
| Production process | Craft production |
| Place of origin | Japan |
| Introduced | 7th century |
| Washi, craftsmanship of traditional Japanese hand-made paper | |
|---|---|
| Country | Japan |
| Reference | 02291 |
| Region | Asia and the Pacific |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2014 (9th session) |
| List | Representative |
Washi (和紙) is traditional Japanesepaper processed by hand using fibers from the inner bark of thegampi tree, themitsumata shrub (Edgeworthia chrysantha), or thepaper mulberry (kōzo) bush.[1] In Japanese, the word washi (和紙) literally means ‘Japanese paper,’ with wa (和) meaning ‘Japanese’ and shi (紙) meaning ‘paper.’ Washi is also sometimes written and pronounced aswagami (わがみ) in Japanese, reflecting an alternative reading of the same characters.[2]
Washi is generally tougher than Western paper made fromwood pulp, and is used in many traditional arts.Origami,shodō, andukiyo-e are all produced usingwashi.Washi was[until when?] also used to make various everyday goods like clothes, household goods, and toys, as well as vestments and ritual objects forShinto priests and statues ofBuddhas. It was even used to makewreaths that were given to winners in the1998 Winter Paralympics.Washi is also used to repair historically valuable cultural properties, paintings, and books at museums and libraries around the world, such as theLouvre and theVatican Museums, because of its thinness, pliability, durability over 1000 years due to its low impurities, and high workability to remove it cleanly with moisture.[3][4][5]
As aJapanese craft, it is registered as a UNESCOintangible cultural heritage.[6]
By the 7th century, paper had been introduced to Japan from China via the Korean Peninsula, and the Japanese developed washi by improving the method of making paper in theHeian period. The paper making technique developed in Japan around 805 to 809 was callednagashi-suki (流し漉き), a method of addingmucilage to the process of the conventionaltame-suki (溜め漉き) technique to form a stronger layer of paper fibers.[7][8][9][10] The improved washi came to be used to decorate religious ceremonies such asgohei,ōnusa (ja:大麻 (神道)), andshide atShinto shrines,[7] and in the Heian period, washi covered with gold and silver leaf beautifully decorated books such asKokin Wakashu.[9]
In theMuromachi period, washi came to be used asceremonial origami forsamurai class at weddings and when giving gifts,[7] and from theSengoku period to theEdo period,recreational origami such asorizuru developed.[11] During the Edo period, many books andukiyo-e prints for the masses made of washi were published usingwoodblock printing.[12]
Washi is produced in a way similar to that of ordinary paper, but relies heavily on manual methods. It involves a long and intricate process that is often undertaken in the cold weather of winter, as pure, cold running water is essential to the production of washi. Cold inhibitsbacteria, preventing the decomposition of thefibres. Cold also makes the fibres contract, producing a crisp feel to the paper. It is traditionally the winter work of farmers, a task that supplemented a farmer's income.
Paper mulberry is the most commonly used fiber in making Japanese paper. The mulberry branches are boiled and stripped of their outer bark, and then dried. The fibers are then boiled withlye to remove thestarch,fat andtannin, and then placed in running water to remove the spent lye. The fibers are thenbleached (either with chemicals or naturally, by placing it in a protected area of a stream) and any remaining impurities in the fibers are picked out by hand. The product is laid on a rock or board and beaten.
Wet balls of pulp are mixed in a vat with water and a formation aid to help keep the long fibers spread evenly. This is traditionallyneri, which is amucilaginous material made from the roots of thetororo aoi plant, or PEO,polyethylene oxide. One of two traditional methods of paper making (nagashi-zuki or tame-zuki) is employed. In both methods, pulp is scooped onto a screen and shaken to spread the fibers evenly. Nagashi-zuki (which uses neri in the vat) produces a thinner paper, while tame-zuki (which does not use neri) produces a thicker paper.
With enough processing, almost any grass or tree can be made into a washi. Gampi, mitsumata, and paper mulberry are three popular sources.[1]
In awashitsu (traditional Japanese room), the paper used—whether in the past or in the present—is essentially all washi, traditional Japanese paper, including the paper onshōji(ja:障子) andfusuma(襖) sliding doors, the paper onandon lanterns, the paper of kake-jiku (掛軸,hanging scrolls), and thekaishi (懐紙) used intea ceremonies(茶道).
In Japanese suibokuga(水墨画), sumi-e (墨絵, ink painting),ukiyo-e andnihonga (traditional Japanese painting), washi is still used even today.
In Japanese calligraphy (shodō,書道), washi is still widely used today.
Washi is also used inwatch dials.[14]
.jpg)
![Hasui Kawase (ja:川瀬巴水) chose Echizen-washi as the paper for printing his works.[15]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aNDL-DC_2586549-28_Kawase_Hasui_S05_crd.jpg)
.jpg)
The traditional Japanese paper washi is often mistranslated or mislabeled in English as “rice paper,”[16] a term that has caused misunderstanding in English-speaking countries.
By contrast, in other languages and cultural contexts—such as French—washi is properly referred to as “papier Japon,” terms that more accurately convey its identity as Japanese paper without implying an incorrect ingredient. This underscores that the English “rice paper” label is not a universal term and highlights the importance of precise terminology.
| History |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Types of paper |
| ||||||||
| Materials | |||||||||
| Specifications | |||||||||
| Manufacture and process | |||||||||
| Paper industry | |||||||||
| Uses | |||||||||
Authority control databases: National |
|---|
