Tokuji Washi (Tokuji Handmade Paper)
Tokuji Washi (Tokuji Handmade Paper)
Tokuji washi is handmade Japanese paper made in the Tokuji area of Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and is also called 'Tokuji tesuki washi' (Tokuji hand-made washi). It is made from kozo (paper mulberry), mitsumata and gampi, blended to suit the intended use. Because it is made from raw materials with few admixtures, it is strong and supple, with a simple, soft texture. According to legend, Shunjobo Chogen, who led the reconstruction of Todai-ji Temple, introduced the papermaking method at the beginning of the Kamakura period, and the craft is said to have a history of about 800 years. In the era of the Ouchi clan, high-quality paper was produced, and in the Edo period production reached its peak. With the spread of Western paper and the aging of craftsmen, only a few papermakers remain, but the technique is now a Yamaguchi City-designated Intangible Cultural Property. In addition to shoji paper and calligraphy paper, processed products such as letter paper and postcards are also made. Visitors can try papermaking at workshops in Tokuji and at the hands-on facility 重源の郷 (Chogen no Sato).
Origin
Tokuji washi is said to date back to the early Kamakura period. Chogen, who was entrusted with rebuilding Todai-ji Temple after it was destroyed by fire during the Genpei War, was permitted to use the tax revenue of Suo Province to cover the cost of reconstruction. Chogen himself went into the mountains of Tokuji, felled giant trees and sent them to the capital. According to legend, Chogen introduced the papermaking method at this time. However, Yamaguchi City's public relations magazine describes its history as continuing from the Muromachi period, and its true origin is not known.
History
In the era when the Ouchi clan ruled Yamaguchi, high-quality paper was made, and it is said to have been prized under the name 'Tokuji-gami' (得地紙). In the Edo period, production reached its peak under the ukegami system (請紙制), in which paper had to be delivered to the domain. At the same time, the lives of the farmers who made the paper are said to have been hard. From the modern era onward, the number of papermakers decreased due to the spread of Western paper and mechanization, and by 2015 (Heisei 27), only two farming households were still making paper. Since then, local organizations and the city have been working to expand the areas where the raw materials are grown, develop products and train successors.
Features
There are three raw materials, kozo, mitsumata and gampi, which are blended according to the intended use. Because raw materials with few admixtures are used, the paper is said to be durable. It has the supple strength unique to handmade paper, and another attraction is the beautiful gradation it shows when dyed. Products include shoji paper, kozo paper (kozo-shi), paper for mounting scrolls and screens (hyogu), calligraphy paper, painting paper and dyed paper. In recent years, letter paper, postcards, business cards and coasters, as well as lamps and tapestries using washi, have also been made.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Preparing the raw materials
The raw materials, harvested in winter, are steamed and stripped of their bark, and the black outer layer is removed to leave the white bark (shirokawa).
- 2
Cooking (shajuku)
The white bark is boiled in a pot for about 2 hours until it is soft enough to tear by hand.
- 3
Rinsing (aku-nuki)
The boiled white bark is soaked in the cold, clear streams of Tokuji for 2 days to rinse out the aku (harsh residues).
- 4
Removing impurities (chiri-tori)
Remaining bits of outer bark, blemishes and dirt are removed by hand. This takes the most time and determines the quality of the paper.
- 5
Beating (kokai)
The material is beaten with wooden sticks or by machine to loosen the fibers apart.
- 6
Sheet forming (papermaking)
In the vat, the fibers are mixed with the mucilage of tororo-aoi, and sheets are formed one at a time with a suketa (screen and frame).
- 7
Pressing and drying
Water is squeezed out little by little from the stacked sheets, and each sheet is peeled off, pasted flat with a brush, and dried in the sun or by machine.
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Artisans & Workshops
千々松和紙工房
A handmade washi workshop at 613-1 Tokuji-Shimaji, Yamaguchi City, which makes 'Tokuji tesuki washi' (とくぢ手すき和紙). 千々松哲也 (Chijimatsu Tetsuya) studied under his father, 千々松清次郎, and is a holder of a Yamaguchi City-designated Intangible Cultural Property who has been making paper for more than 60 years. He handles everything from growing the raw materials onward, and also makes shoji paper, calligraphy paper, letter paper and postcards.
Official site →How to Buy
- 徳地特産品販売所 南大門
- A shop at 1565-1 Tokuji-Hori, Yamaguchi City, that displays and sells specialty products from Tokuji and also provides tourist information. It is listed as one of the retailers of 千々松和紙工房. It is about a 1-minute drive from Tokuji IC on the Chugoku Expressway, and is open from 9:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 from January to March).Where to buy →PR
- 山口市菜香亭 (museum shop)
- The museum shop of 山口市菜香亭 (Yamaguchi City Saikotei) at 1-2-7 Tenge, Yamaguchi City, and one of the retailers of 千々松和紙工房. The products available differ from shop to shop, so if you are looking for a particular item, it is best to inquire in advance.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
千々松和紙工房（手すき和紙体験）
山口県山口市徳地島地613-1
After learning about the history and process of Tokuji washi, you can take a mini experience in which you make your own original washi from mitsumata fibers and tororo-aoi mucilage. It takes 1 to 2 hours and costs about 4,000 yen per person (excluding tax). There is also a full experience that spends about 3 days on everything from processing the raw materials to drying. It is offered from April to mid-December, and reservations are required.
View details →重源の郷（紙漉き体験工房 白波）
山口県山口市徳地深谷1137
A hands-on facility associated with Chogen, where you can make eight sheets of postcard-size washi at a time. Papermaking starts from about 700 yen and washi dyeing costs about 500 yen, with a separate admission fee (520 yen for adults). The washi is mailed to you about a week later, after drying. Reservations are required, but same-day participation is accepted if there are openings.
View details →長州苑（徳地和紙の折染め体験）
山口県山口市木町1-6
An experience in which you fold and dye Tokuji washi (orizome) to make a tapestry that can also be used as interior decor. The fee is about 880 yen for 2 sheets of washi, and it takes about 1 hour. It is held twice a day, from 10:00 and from 15:00, and reservations are required. Located near the five-storied pagoda of Ruriko-ji Temple, it offers an easy way to experience Tokuji washi in central Yamaguchi City.
View details →FAQ
Q. What is the connection between Chogen and Tokuji?
A. Chogen was a monk who went to Tokuji in Suo Province in search of timber for rebuilding Todai-ji Temple. He opened roads through the mountains in the upper reaches of the Saba River and built weirs on the river to carry out the giant trees. According to legend, Chogen also introduced the method of making Tokuji washi, and Tokuji has a hands-on facility named after him, 重源の郷 (Chogen no Sato).