【Tradition】Japanese paper, "Washi"

【Tradition】

In the previous my blog, I said that Japanese paper, Washi is used by writing Japanese calligraphy.

What is “Washi”?

It is made by original technique.

At this time, I wanted to report how to make “Washi” about visiting the spot, making experience of Japanese paper.

The spot is located on Saitama prefecture, it is close to Tokyo. Many traditional techniques are left besides from the Japanese paper.

Raw materials from Washi include Kozo (paper mulberry), Mitsumata, and Gampi bark fibers (the soft inner bark under the outer peel of the plant), those which are very precious. Producers of Washi don’t waste the papers because of its rarity.

<How to make “Washi”>

1. Steaming up paper mulberry in a kiln for 2 hours to soft the bark of its.

2. Peeling the bark of the paper mulberry with being hot. Inner peels are used for Washi.

3. After completion of the peeling task, dried them up in the open air.

4 Putting the dried inner peel into the water tank, returning to its original state.

5. To its high purity fiber, boil the inner peel with caustic soda.

6. Taking off some dusts or dirt to make Washi being clean.

7. Chopping those peels by machine to make them thin fiber.

8. Scooping the paper with the water including paper mulberry and abelmoschus.

9. Squeezing to get rid of the moisture and dry them outside.

Through above all descriptions, a paper Washi is made by people’s hand. So, that is why Washi is very precious and expensive.

Before writing on paper, the most important thing is whether you care about the materials to use.

Washi is harder than regular paper, such as machine-made paper, and the surface of it is not slightly rough.

Some people may like the paper smoothly; however, you are going to write something down in Washi once, you could know the touch of the feeling about writing is different from the machine-made one.

Furthermore, the brush is going to be smoothly on that paper, Washi, compared with regular paper.

Although the regular paper is made by mechanical and chemical processing of pulp and paper waste such as wood, straw, rags, etc., thereby they are stronger for ink printing.

Why not try Washi and see how it work?

Completion of his work. There is no space to write !!!!!!!!?????????? lol