Nishijima Washi is handmade paper made in the Nishijima district of Minobu Town, Minamikoma District, Yamanashi Prefecture. According to tradition, it began in 1571 (Genki 2), when Mochizuki Seibei, who had studied papermaking at Shuzenji in Izu on the orders of Takeda Shingen, brought the method back to Nishijima, Seibei's hometown. Shingen was pleased with the smooth, glossy paper made mainly from mitsumata (Oriental paperbush), and gave it the name '西未.' In the Edo period, paper was made widely along the Fuji River basin, and papermakers continued to make paper by hand after the Meiji era. After World War II, when calligraphy and painting paper could no longer be obtained from China, Nishijima became the first in Japan to develop handmade gasenshi (calligraphy and painting paper) blended with recycled paper and rice straw. It excels in ink color, ink bleeding and the feel of the brush, and is favored by calligraphers. In 1994 (Heisei 6), it was designated a Yamanashi Prefecture Designated Local Traditional Craft. In 2025 the roadside station (michi-no-eki) 'Nishijima Washi no Sato Kamisuki Park' opened, where visitors can also try papermaking.
Origin
Records state that Nishijima Washi originated in 1571 (Genki 2). On the orders of Takeda Shingen, lord of Kai Province, Mochizuki Seibei, a native of Nishijima, trained in washi making at Shuzenji in what is now Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. It began when Seibei brought the method back to Nishijima. The paper Seibei made mainly from mitsumata is said to have been smooth and glossy and well suited to brush writing.
History
It is said that Shingen, greatly pleased with Seibei's paper, personally named it '西未.' He then gave Seibei a vermilion seal engraved with the Takeda-bishi (Takeda family diamond crest) and the characters '西未,' and appointed Seibei paper official (kami-yakunin). In the Edo period, papermaking was practiced widely along the Fuji River basin. Papermakers remained committed to handmade paper after the Meiji era, and after the war, working together with calligraphers and paper wholesalers through repeated trials, they completed handmade gasenshi in the Showa 30s. In 1994 (Heisei 6), it was designated a Yamanashi Prefecture Designated Local Traditional Craft.
Features
The main products of Nishijima Washi are gasenshi and hanshi (calligraphy practice paper) for calligraphy. A distinctive feature is the use of recycled paper, such as offcuts of gasenshi, as raw material; the fibers, moderately worn and free of oil, are said to produce beautiful ink bleeding. Manila hemp and rice straw grown in Nishijima are also blended in, creating paper on which writers can express kappitsu (dry-brush strokes, where the ink runs thin) and ink bleeding just as they intend. This gasenshi is known as 'Koshu Gasenshi.'
Techniques
Gasenshi Making with Recycled Paper
Recycled paper, such as offcuts of gasenshi, trimmings of high-grade wallpaper and torn gasenshi, is made into paper again as raw material. Fibers that have once been made into paper are moderately worn and well cleared of oil, so the result is said to be paper on which ink bleeds beautifully.
Pedal-Operated Pulp Feeding
Some workshops in Nishijima use a device in which pulp flows into the papermaking screen (su) when the papermaker steps on a pedal at their feet. It was devised by the predecessor of Mr. Kasai (笠井伸二) of 山十製紙, as an innovation for making thin, delicate gasenshi.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Shajuku (Boiling)
The raw materials are boiled to soften the fibers.
- 2
Kokai (Beating) and Bleaching
The fibers are beaten and loosened, then bleached and prepared as pulp.
- 3
Hand Papermaking
The pulp is scooped up with the screen, and each sheet is formed by hand.
- 4
Pressing
Pressure is applied to the stacked wet sheets to squeeze out the water.
- 5
Sun Drying and Drying
The wet sheets are peeled off one by one and dried in the sun or by other means.
- 6
Inspection and Cutting
The finish is checked, and the paper is cut to size.
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Artisans & Workshops
西嶋和紙工業協同組合
The production-area cooperative for Nishijima handmade washi, with its office at 391-1 Nishijima, Minobu Town. As a producer of a Yamanashi Prefecture Designated Local Traditional Craft, it passes on the history of papermaking that began with Mochizuki Seibei while protecting the area's washi, such as calligraphy paper and gasenshi.
山十製紙（笠井伸二）
A handmade washi workshop at 1212 Nishijima, Minobu Town, headed by Mr. Kasai. It mainly makes gasenshi and continues to make paper using recycled paper, Manila hemp and rice straw grown in Nishijima. It accepts factory tours and also sells washi goods.
西伝製紙
A workshop in Nishijima, Minobu Town, that makes handmade calligraphy paper. Founded in 1895 (Meiji 28), it is now run by the fourth generation. Using raw materials such as Manila hemp, bamboo and straw grown in Nishijima, a single craftsman makes the paper by hand through every stage. Its ink tones, bleeding and dry-brush effects are highly regarded by calligraphers.
How to Buy
- かみすき館（道の駅 にしじま和紙の里 かみすきパーク）
- A gift and souvenir shop in Kamisuki-kan at the roadside station, carrying local specialties centered on washi. At the calligraphy corner, visitors can try writing on Nishijima calligraphy paper before choosing.Where to buy →PR
- Minobu Town Hometown Tax Donation (西伝製紙)
- As a return gift for Minobu Town's hometown tax donation (furusato nozei), 1,000 sheets of 西伝製紙's 'High-Grade Handmade Calligraphy Hanshi' can be selected for a donation of 48,000 yen. It is calligraphy hanshi made by hand one sheet at a time, using materials such as Nishijima straw.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
道の駅 にしじま和紙の里 かみすきパーク
山梨県南巨摩郡身延町西嶋345
A roadside station that opened in April 2025. At Kamisuki-kan, visitors can try papermaking such as ji-suki (making paper with characters, about 20 minutes) for 1,100 yen, an uchiwa fan for 1,800 yen and a lamp for 2,500 yen; drying takes about 40 minutes. Activity reception is from 9:00 to 16:00; closed on Tuesdays.
View details →山十製紙
山梨県南巨摩郡身延町西嶋1212
Visitors can tour the handmade washi factory, and small groups can also try papermaking and paper drying. The tour fee is 500 yen for adults and 200 yen for elementary, junior high and high school students; the hands-on activity costs around 2,000 yen and takes about 5 minutes per person. It is about a 5-minute walk from the Nishijima Washi no Sato area, where the roadside station is located.
FAQ
Q. What kind of paper is gasenshi?
A. It is paper used for calligraphy and ink painting, and originally paper made in China was used. When imports stopped after the war, Nishijima worked with calligraphers and paper wholesalers through repeated trials and completed handmade gasenshi in the Showa 30s. It excels in ink color, ink bleeding and the feel of the brush, and is still the main product of Nishijima Washi today.
Q. Are there still workshops making paper in Nishijima?
A. A 2017 news feature reported that six workshops were still making paper in Nishijima. Kamisuki-kan at Kamisuki Park also has a shared workshop that craftsmen use to develop new products and techniques, and with luck visitors can watch them at work.