The Wondrous Beauty and Utility of Japanese Handmade Paper

Lixil Gallery Osaka

Shunie Paper Fabric

This event has ended.

Washi (“Japanese paper”) has been produced in Japan for over a thousand years. It is made using fibers from the bark of the paper mulberry (kozo), mitsumata plant, or gampi plant. The tough, elastic bark fibers of these shrubs enable the manufacture of paper that is beautiful, durable, and long-lasting even when thin. Because of these qualities, washi was broadly accepted as a versatile material for everyday uses in the early Edo Period (1603-1868). Washi can be folded to make umbrellas and paper lanterns. It can be woven in the form of paper strings and brushed with persimmon tannin to make durable boxes and woven hats. Washi sheets can be massaged and softened for use in making paper garments (kamiko). When spun into paper yarn, washi can be woven to make paper fabric (shifu). As people have applied varied fabrication techniques to washi, they have devised tools of every kind for daily living. The distinctive qualities of washi produced differently in different regions has further enhanced the beauty of those tools. When seeing the many variations in the way washi has been used, we sense the innate power washi possesses as a material and the indefatigable spirit of people’s hand labor. This exhibition features a phantasmagoric array of washi products typically made from wood, cloth or leather, some 80 items in all. They are displayed in sections reflecting the facets of living: “clothing,” “food,” “shelter,” and “amusement.” We invite you to enjoy superb, lovingly made articles of washi dating from the 17th to early 20th century (the Edo period to early Showa): the age when the craft of washi flourished. Featured are not only Japanese articles but articles from Korea where paper crafts of exquisite design still survive in great number. Through this exhibition, visitors can explore the culture of washi and enjoy occasion to ponder its future potential. We wish to thank everyone who has contributed to the realization of this exhibition.