Saving the Art of Handmade Japanese Paper (PHOTOS)

Washi was inscribed on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list in 2014, implying that the heritage could disappear without special efforts to retain the technique. Because of the sturdy, thick quality of the paper, it has various uses. Not only is it used for books and calligraphy, but also is a commonly found element in side homes. They’re made into paper screens, room dividers and sliding doors. 

Washi is made from the pulp of a mulberry tree, which creates its durability. “In fact, the paper is so sturdy that it was common practice (in the Edo period) for people to throw their account books in nearby ponds in the event of a fire. once the fire subsided, they would retrieve the book from the water and find they were still usable,” Eiji Fukushima, general manager of the Village of Japanese Paper theme park, told Japan Times. 

There are currently only seven national registered technicians who can produce the paper. Residents of the three communities are working to raise awareness of the craft by cultivating the mulberry, training others in the technique and producing new products to promote Washi.