Hand-Made Mino Washi Artisan,Kurata Makoto
Light Filtering, Beautiful Traditional Mino Paper
How do we pass the splendor of Mino’s paper on to the next generation? How do we link our skills and techniques as professional papermakers to appeal to the future?
If we sell our work cheaply, then the next generation will face difficulties, so we are thinking about how to change people’s perceptions now.
As I work, gently rocking the pulp trays, picking out the impurities and watching the light pass through the washi, I think about ways of making this durable and beautiful washi paper suitable for everyday life.
Kurata Makoto
Hand-Made Mino Washi Artisan,Ieda Minako
I Would Like To See Mino Japanese Paper Used As a Material By Professional People.
Most of the washi paper made is plain, simple sheets. Many years ago I did Japanese painting, and so from that experience, I’m introducing Japanese pigments to the paper. But I still believe the plain white paper to be the most beautiful.
When used for shoji screens or for lantern covers, the beauty of Mino Washi is most evident as the light streaming through the translucent paper highlights the flow of the fibers. I make small gift bags and items in the hopes of promoting the ersatility of washi. I hope Mino Japanese paper can be seen and used as a material by other professional people.
Ieda Minako
Hand-Made Mino Washi Studio,“Corsoyard”
Creating A Need For Hand-Made Washi
In order to make handmade Japanese paper more accessible, and at the suggestion of Kami-no-Shigoto, our workshop has developed an appealing range of long lasting, quality Origami Jewelry women’s accessories.
Originally, handmade Japanese paper was a daily necessity, and in the old days, all writing and even architectural materials such as shoji sliding doors and wallpapers consisted of handmade paper.
However, cheaper modern-day materials have replaced quality hand-made Japanese Washi paper, and so new ways of using the paper are being developed.
Hand-Made Mino Washi Manufacturer,Atelier Hoki
The texture and beauty of the traditional paper is evident.
How can we incorporate traditional hand-made Japanese paper into our modern lives?
Under the themes of “Washi Material Production” and “Proposed Activities”, we are striving to explore new avenues of washi use.
In an effort to convey the original texture and beauty of Japanese paper, we are looking to create original papers, one sheet at a time, with watermarks including kanji characters, letters, arabesque or snowflake patterns to create new ways to enjoy paper.
