Miyama Washi is handmade paper passed down in the Miyama district of Shirataka Town, Yamagata Prefecture, made from locally grown kozo (paper mulberry). Its origins are said to date back around 400 years, and it was long known for its high quality, even being used as official paper for the Uesugi domain in the capital city of Kyoto; it has been handed down for generations as a household industry in a mountain village that endures long, harsh winters. During the Edo period, Yonezawa domain lord Uesugi Yozan encouraged the cultivation of kozo as part of his fiscal reform policies, and many villagers took up papermaking as an off-season occupation. The paper has a distinctive, warm texture and is used for letter paper, torn-paper collage art, washi dolls, and even as a material for wedding dresses. It was designated an Intangible Cultural Property of Yamagata Prefecture in 1978, and the Miyama Washi Promotion and Research Center now serves as a base for passing on the technique and offering papermaking experiences.
Origin
Miyama Washi is handmade paper crafted in the Miyama district of Shirataka Town, Yamagata Prefecture, using locally grown kozo (paper mulberry) as its raw material. Its origins are said to date back around 400 years, and it was long known for its high quality, having been used as official paper for the Yonezawa domain (Uesugi domain) even in the capital city of Kyoto. In this mountain village with harsh winters, it has been handed down for generations as a household industry carried out during the farming off-season.
History
Yonezawa domain lord Uesugi Yozan encouraged the cultivation of kozo as part of his policy to rebuild the domain's finances, and many villagers in the Miyama district came to take up papermaking. It is said that high-quality paper, known as 'nobori-gami,' was also sent to Edo. On March 29, 1978, it was designated an Intangible Cultural Property of Yamagata Prefecture, and the Miyama Washi Promotion and Research Center now serves as a base for passing on the technique and training successors.
Features
The paper is distinguished by a warm, gentle texture, and is widely used not only for letter paper and envelopes but also as a material for torn-paper collage art and washi dolls. In recent years, new uses have expanded, including as a material for wedding dresses, and the Miyama Washi Promotion and Research Center offers papermaking experiences where visitors can discover its appeal firsthand.
Materials Used
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How to Buy
- Miyama Washi Promotion and Research Center
- A base facility in the Miyama district of Shirataka Town. It sells products made with Miyama Washi, such as letter paper and torn-paper collage art, directly on site, and can be visited together with a papermaking experience.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
深山和紙振興研究センター
山形県西置賜郡白鷹町大字深山2527
Papermaking experiences start at around 800 yen (reservation required). Washi picture-making and dyeing experiences are also available, held from April to December. Group use requires 5 or more people and a reservation at least two weeks in advance.
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