Craftsmanship’s Space: A Collaborative Project by ichijo-toma

“Teshigoto no Ma (Craftsmanship’s Space),” hosted at Gallery ichijo-toma, is a collaborative project that brings together artisans who continually create “objects and experiences” that infuse creativity and warmth into daily life.

We aim to offer a moment where the space and the works resonate with each other, nourishing the mind and body.

This Time: A Focus on Traditional Japanese Hand-made Washi Paper

This exhibition features Washi, a traditional Japanese craft. Made through a process involving skilled techniques and painstaking effort, Washi gently blends into everyday life and enriches the space.

We are holding an exhibition to convey the background and appeal of Washi by learning about and touching the paper from three distinct production areas: “Shiroishi Washi,” “Sekishū Washi,” and “Nao Washi.”

The Process of Making Hand-made Washi

The three production areas cooperating with us for this event practice “farm to paper,” encompassing the entire process from cultivation to paper making as an integrated, hand-crafted effort within their local communities.

Washi is made with the region’s water and soil, and the raw materials grown there. Not only differences in the materials, but also the subtle variations in the detailed processes and handling techniques of the artisans who inherit the tradition create a unique character in each sheet.

The raw material, which begins as a cultivated tree and is slowly turned into fibers over time, finally becomes paper through the papermaking skill of the artisan. The artisan scoops the fibers dissolved in water, controls the force and direction of the water flow, and uses their entire body to shake the suketa (paper-making screen and frame), adjusting the overlap of the fibers in millimeters. The sheet, formed by these interlaced fibers, is then stacked, pressed, and dried before it is finally complete.

Made with such time and effort, Washi diffuses light softly, acquiring a warmth and quiet beauty that allows it to continue living alongside people in their daily lives.

Sekishū Washi from Shimane Prefecture: Fine Paper Spun from 1,300 Years of History

Sekishū Washi, from Shimane Prefecture, is said to have originated around 610 AD when the paper-making technique, introduced from China, was taught to the people of Iwami Province by the poet Kakinomoto no Hitomaro. It boasts a history that is exceptionally old, even within Japan.

During the Edo period, its superior quality became known nationwide, and merchants in Osaka favored it for their customer ledgers. Due to its remarkable durability—ledgers thrown into a well during a fire would remain intact, supporting the resumption of business—paper making became an important side business during the farming off-season, supporting the Iwami region.

“Sekishū Banshi,” made using locally grown kōzo (paper mulberry) and the nagashi-zuki (flowing water paper-making) technique with a bamboo screen (takesu), was designated a National Important Intangible Cultural Property in 1969 and was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2009 (and later registered in 2014 as part of “Washi: Craftsmanship of Traditional Japanese Hand-Made Paper”).

Although only four studios currently inherit the traditional hand-making technique due to the impact of mechanization, the skills and spirit that have endured for 1,300 years are being passed down to the next generation by young artisans, remaining a living testament to Japan’s paper culture in the heart of Shimane.

Shiroishi Washi from Miyagi Prefecture: Robust, Fine Paper Protected by the Citizens

Shiroishi Washi, from Miyagi Prefecture, inherits the lineage of “Michinoku paper” (paper from the northern region).

Its processed products, such as kamiko (paper clothing made by treating Washi like cloth) and shifu-ori (textiles meticulously woven from paper thread), were highly valued as tribute items due to their outstanding quality.

As Washi production declined nationwide from the Meiji to the Shōwa period, Tadao Endō, the last remaining paper-making farmer, revived Shiroishi Washi using locally grown kōzo (paper mulberry) and traditional methods. Its strength and durability are still highly regarded today, and it is used as restoration paper for Important Cultural Properties, record paper for the Imperial Household Agency, and for the kamiko used in the Shuni-e ceremony at Tōdai-ji Temple.

Currently, the citizens’ group “Shiroishi Washi Kurabito” continues to carefully preserve the techniques and traditions passed down from their predecessors, including cultivating the raw material, tora-fukōzo (striped paper mulberry), and ensuring the continuity of the paper-making skills.

Nao Washi from Saga Prefecture: Washi Inheriting Tradition and Embracing Innovation

Nao Washi from Saga Prefecture began its history in the Nao district of Yamato-cho, Saga City, Saga Prefecture, during the mid-Edo period.

It originated as a way to help farmers who were forced into poverty in the mountainous area, by introducing papermaking techniques. The Nao region was blessed with the clear streams essential for papermaking and an environment where the raw material, kaji (paper mulberry), grew abundantly. Nao Washi, which uses the long fibers of the kaji plant, is known for being thin yet strong, and was primarily used for shōji (sliding screen) paper, fusuma (partition) paper, and lantern paper.

While over 100 studios lined the area during its peak, the scale of production shrank with the spread of Western paper. Today, the Taniguchi family is the only one continuing this history. While handling the entire process from raw material cultivation to paper making, they continue to uphold tradition while simultaneously striving for new value creation, such as with kankonshi (recycled paper made from old paper) and art pieces.

Workshop Report

During the period of the “Washi Journey” exhibition, we held workshops where participants could create original ichijo-toma items while experiencing Washi from the three production areas.

The items offered were three choices: a lamp, a small box, and a fan (uchiwa). To allow participants to choose, we provided a lineup of several types of Washi from each region, including those with pressed flowers or raw material bark, and dyed varieties.

Through the process of selecting a personally inspiring Washi and adhering it to their chosen item, participants were able to feel the paper’s durability and its beauty when lit, engaging all five senses.

Held in the ichijo-toma gallery space, where attendees could learn by touching Washi raw materials, fibers mid-process, and hand-paper-making tools, the workshop provided a valuable time for fully experiencing the appeal and background of traditional craftsmanship (teshigoto).