Sekishu Washi

Handmade paper (tesuki washi) was invented in AD 105 by a Chinese official named Cai Lun, and introduced to Japan in AD 610 by Doncho, a monk from Korea. Sekishu washi, the special handmade paper of western Shimane Prefecture, also has a long history over a thousand years long. The name Sekishu washi comes from the fact that it was first produced in Sekishu (present-day Iwami). It is also known as Sekishu-hanshi (half-sheets from Sekishu) because of the cut of the paper.
Historically, the Sekishu washi appeared for the first time in records from AD 905. In those records, Sekishu was one of 42 regions where 20 year-old men were obliged to deliver materials for the local speciality washi as tax in kind. The name is probably much older, however, as the 1798 book Kamisuki Chohoki (A Handy Guide to Papermaking), written by Kunisaki Jihei, says that Kakinomoto Hitomaro, a leading official in the area, taught people how to make washi sometime around AD 704-715. If that is true, then not only is Sekishu an old name but, more importantly, it shows that tesuki washi has been produced in the Iwami region for about 1300 years.
Making Sekishu-hanshi was a side business for almost all families in days of old. With the introduction of machinery, however, the 6377 families engaged in the business in 1894 decreased to 664 by 1940 and to 60 by 1965. There are now only 10 families making washi in this region 6 in Misumi, 1 in Sakurae, and 3 in other localities.
Consequent to the drop in the number of washi makers, the manner of business changed from a side job to a principal occupation. Those now engaged in the work have found successors and carry out the traditional techniques required for making this type of Japanese paper.
Sekishu-hanshi is made from processed bark fibers of three shrubsﾑkozo (paper mulberry), mitsumata (Edgeworthia papyrifera), and gampi (Wikstroemia sikokiana). A vegetable starch known as neri derived from the tororo-aoi (Hibiscus manihot Medikus) is also added for kneading. After the initial processing, the pulp solution is molded with bamboo or reed mats (su) using a method called nagashi-suki. Sekishu-hanshi, which is the most common washi, is produced from high quality kozo cultivated in this region. The characteristics of this plant have helped make Sekishu-hanshi famous as a fine, strong, and glossy paper, as indicated by the following account. Because of its high quality, Sekishu-hanshi was once used for account books by merchants in Osaka. In case of fire, the merchants did not hesitate to throw the account books into a well to protect the records from fire the merchants were not worried about the paper being damaged by water.
In light of the unique traditional techniques and methods employed to make Sekishu-hanshi by Sekishu-hanshi Craftsmens Association (Yasuichi Kubota, President; 8 members), the paper was designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property in 1969.
In addition, the Sekishu techniques and methods used for Sekishu-hanshi have been completely preserved by crafts people in Misumi Town. To ensure even further improvement of the art, Sekishu Washi Cooperative (hiroshi Nagami, Representative Chair; 7members) was established, and in 1989 Sekishu washi was designated a traditional craft by the Minister of Economy Trade and Industry.

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Sekisyu Washi
Washi that has been chosen in the final selection process is cut to make various paper products.
The technique of making Sekishu washi with kozo,mitsumata, and gampi fibers is designated an Important Intangible Cultural Asset. These papers are used to make such products as Japanese painting and calligraphy paper, paper for dyed products, stationary, post cards, name cards, notebooks, and traditional Japanese letter paper.

　

Kamisuki Chohoki
Harvesting raw materials

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Kamisuki Chohoki
Steaming branches

Sekishu kozo paper
The fibers of kozo (Broussonetia Kazinoki Sieb) are about 10 mm long.
By way of comparison, wood pulp fibers are only 1 mm long. Kozo fibers are tough and mesh easily so that kozo paper retain its strength even when crumpled or folded.
70% of Sekishu washi is made of kozo fibers.