Nao Tesuki Washi is a handmade washi paper that has been passed down for more than 300 years in the Nao district of Yamato, Saga City. It began in 1690 (Genroku 3), in the mid-Edo period, when Notomi Yusuke, the village headman of Nao, learned papermaking techniques in Mizoguchi village, Chikugo Province (present-day Yame City, Fukuoka Prefecture), and brought them back home. In the mountainous Nao area, where farmland was scarce, this technique spread as a valuable side occupation for farming households, and by its peak in the early Showa era, nearly 100 households were engaged in papermaking, making it a major production center. Its greatest characteristic is the use of kaji (a mulberry species native to and cultivated in the district) instead of the more common kozo as raw material; because its fibers are long and intertwine closely, the resulting paper is thin yet durable, and it has long been valued for lantern paper, bangasa umbrellas, rain capes, and shoji paper. However, the number of practitioners has continued to decline due to mechanization and changing lifestyles, and today only the Taniguchi family's workshop, 'Nao Tesuki Washi,' carries on the technique. The seventh-generation head, Taniguchi Gen, keeps the workshop running, working on new washi products that make use of tradition while forging new directions.
Origin
The origins of Nao Washi trace back to 1690 (Genroku 3), in the mid-Edo period. Notomi Yusuke, the village headman of Nao, is said to have learned papermaking techniques in Mizoguchi village, Chikugo Province (present-day Yame City, Fukuoka Prefecture), and brought them back to teach the village. In the Nao district, where farmland was scarce and farming alone was not enough to make a living, this papermaking technique spread as a valuable side occupation for farming households and went on to become an industry that sustained the district.
History
In the Edo period, Nao Washi was widely used for lantern paper, bangasa umbrellas, rain capes, and shoji paper, becoming an important industry for the district. Although it declined for a time after the Meiji Restoration, the Nao Papermaking Cooperative was established in 1888, and in 1900 Kawanami Masataka set up the Nao Papermaking Training Institute to improve production. By the early Showa era, nearly 100 households were engaged in papermaking, making it a major production center, but after the war the number of practitioners declined due to the spread of machine-made paper and changing lifestyles, and today only the Taniguchi family's workshop, 'Nao Tesuki Washi,' carries on the technique.
Features
The greatest characteristic of Nao Washi is that it uses kaji, a tree cultivated in the Nao district, as its raw material instead of kozo, the more common washi material. Kaji fibers are longer than kozo fibers and intertwine intricately, producing paper that is durable and resistant to tearing even when made thin. Because of this strength, it has long been valued for uses requiring durability, such as lantern paper, bangasa umbrellas, and rain-cape paper. Today, the workshop is also developing new products that make use of this tradition, such as decorative paper with flowers and grasses pressed into it and washi for lighting fixtures.
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Artisans & Workshops
名尾手すき和紙（谷口家）
The sole workshop that has continued papermaking in Nao since the technique was introduced in 1690. Today it is led by the seventh-generation head, Taniguchi Gen, who upholds tradition while also exploring new forms of expression such as decorative paper with flowers and grasses pressed in and washi for lighting.
Official site →How to Buy
- 直営店 KAGOYA（名尾手すき和紙）
- A directly-run shop attached to the workshop in Yamato, Saga City. Products made with Nao Washi, such as letter paper and lampshades, are available for purchase.Where to buy →PR
- うなぎの寝床
- A regional culture trading company in Yame City, Fukuoka Prefecture. It carries Nao Tesuki Washi paper products as a select shop.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
名尾手すき和紙
佐賀県佐賀市大和町大字名尾4756
Reservation required for groups of 10 or more; papermaking experience and workshop tour (weekdays 9:00-17:00, contact for pricing: 0952-63-0334).
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