Kurotani, The Noble Home of Washi Paper

A kind of traditional Japanese paper recognised for its prodigious quality, its finesse and its resistance, washi paper has its noble origins in the village of Kurotani, where this fine craft has been honed and developed for over 800 years.

Whilst the production of washi paper has its roots in China, the manual manufacturing technique was brought to Japan by Buddhist monks around the year 610. Initially used for the writing of sacred sutras, it didn’t take long before it was used not only in stationery, but also to decorate sliding doors, handbags and sometimes even clothing. Its longevity has lasted for centuries, and washi paper remains solidly anchored in Japanese culture. During the paper’s glory days, entire towns made their living from its manufacture- just as Kurotani still does now.

Situated in the South-East of the Kyoto prefecture, the village has always been one of the leading producers of washi paper internationally. Its history goes back by about 800 years, to when the surviving soldiers of the defeated Heike clan settled in the valley. Earning their bread during the rice harvest in the summer, the settlers dedicated the winter months to the production of washi paper. Thanks to its propitious climate and soil, the region was perfect for the cultivation of the Kozo (or Japanese Mulberry) tree- an essential component in the manufacture of the paper. Although the entire village was dedicated to the production of washi paper, demand went into decline in the mid-1950s as small artisans were unable to compete with mass-produced, lower quality paper. Today, only about ten craftsmen’s families have survived, and offer washi making workshops for tourists in order to help others discover this art which, like the famously resistant paper itself, has endured for centuries.