Tosa Washi (Tosa Japanese Paper)
Tosa Washi (Tosa Handmade Japanese Paper)
Tosa Washi is a handmade washi (Japanese paper) produced mainly in Ino Town and Tosa City, Kochi Prefecture. Blessed with the clear water of the Niyodo River basin and Tosa kozo (Tosa paper mulberry), whose long fibers intertwine easily, the area has long produced paper that is thin yet strong. It is counted among Japan's Three Great Washi alongside Echizen Washi and Mino Washi, and Tosa is named as a paper-producing area in the Engishiki, a code of procedures from the Heian period. Some 300 kinds of paper are said to be made here, including calligraphy paper, shoji paper and art paper. Among them, Tosa Tengujo paper, known as 'the wings of a mayfly', is used to restore cultural properties in Japan and abroad. From the end of the Edo period into the Meiji era, Yoshii Genta improved the tools and greatly increased production, making Kochi one of the leading paper-producing areas in Japan. In 1976 (Showa 51) it became a Traditional Craft Designated by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. Visitors can try papermaking at いの町紙の博物館 (Ino-cho Paper Museum) and at the roadside station (michi-no-eki) 道の駅 土佐和紙工芸村くらうど.
Origin
The oldest surviving record is the Engishiki, completed in 927 (Encho 5), which lists Tosa as one of the main areas supplying paper to the imperial court. It is also said that the poet Ki no Tsurayuki, who was posted to Tosa as its governor (Tosa no Kami) in 930 (Encho 8), encouraged papermaking. At the end of the 16th century, 'Tosa Nanairo-gami' (Tosa seven-color paper), dyed with plants, was made in Naruyama, Ino Town, and is said to have been presented to Yamauchi Kazutoyo, lord of the Tosa domain.
History
In the Edo period, Naruyama was designated as the domain's official papermaking site (goyo kamisuki), and Tosa became one of the three great paper-producing areas alongside Echizen and Mino. The domain controlled paper through a monopoly system, and uprisings against it also broke out. Yoshii Genta, born in Ino Village, devised a large suketa (screen and frame) around 1860 (Man'en 1), and is said to have raised production two- to threefold by improving tools and techniques. He also developed new papers, such as paper on which ink does not bleed, and spread his techniques throughout the country. In the Meiji era there were more than 7,000 workshops in the prefecture, but today there are said to be only about 20.
Features
Made from kozo, mitsumata and gampi, the paper is thin and delicate yet strong, with a supple texture. The representative Tosa Tengujo paper is an ultra-thin paper made from kozo, characterized by its tenacity even though it is thin enough to see through. Together with Tosa Seichoshi paper, made in Niyodogawa Town, it has been selected as an Intangible Cultural Property for which measures such as the preparation of records should be taken. Zubikigami, a paper for drawings, was also developed from mitsumata.
Techniques
Nagashi-zuki and Tame-zuki
In 'nagashi-zuki', the pulp solution is scooped up with the suketa (screen and frame), which is rocked back and forth and from side to side to intertwine the fibers and build up layers. There is also 'tame-zuki', in which the pulp solution is held on the screen and the water is allowed to drain away. At いの町紙の博物館 (Ino-cho Paper Museum), visitors can watch craftspeople demonstrate nagashi-zuki.
Ultra-thin Papermaking of Tosa Tengujo Paper
A thin white paper made by forming the fine fibers of kozo into a thin sheet on a screen made with sha (silk gauze). It is said to have begun to be made in the Meiji era under the guidance of Yoshii Genta. It was used as base paper for typewriters, as wrapping for precious metals, for filtering coffee and more, and was also exported overseas.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Boiling and Rinsing
The bark of kozo and other plants is boiled in water with an alkaline agent added, removing impurities and softening the fibers. It is then soaked in clean water to wash out the alkali, and its color is adjusted as needed.
- 2
Removing Impurities and Beating
Craftspeople remove by hand, one by one, any outer bark, knots and foreign matter left on the fibers. The cleaned fibers are then beaten with sticks to loosen them finely. In recent years, machines are sometimes used for the beating.
- 3
Papermaking
The loosened fibers are dispersed evenly in a vat, and 'neri', a mucilage taken from the roots of tororo-aoi, is added. This is scooped up with the suketa, and the paper is formed one sheet at a time by nagashi-zuki or tame-zuki.
- 4
Pressing and Drying
The formed sheets are stacked, weighted with stones and left overnight, and then the water is squeezed out with a press. The sheets are pasted onto drying boards and dried in the sun, or dried with heat. Finally, they are cut to size, checked for condition and shipped.
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Artisans & Workshops
浜田兄弟和紙製作所（HAMADAWASHI）
The brothers 浜田洋直 and 浜田治, grandsons of 濱田幸雄, who was a Living National Treasure, carry on the hand papermaking of Tosa Tengujo paper as the fourth generation. Their paper has been used to restore ukiyo-e and other works at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Official site →田村和紙工房
A workshop in Ino Town with more than 100 years of history, where the third generation, 田村晴彦, makes zubikigami and art paper. His washi works, dyed by layering colors with a brush, have won many awards, and in 1998 he was certified as a 'Tosa no Takumi' (Master Craftsman of Tosa) by Kochi Prefecture.
Official site →How to Buy
- いの町紙の博物館 shop (Ino-cho Paper Museum Shop)
- The museum shop is said to carry letter paper, envelopes, hanshi (calligraphy paper) and makigami (rolled letter paper), as well as handmade business cards, inkjet-compatible washi and body towels woven from washi. The selection may change.Where to buy →PR
Hands-on Experiences
いの町紙の博物館（土佐和紙伝統産業会館）
高知県吾川郡いの町幸町110-1
Exhibits introduce the history and production process of Tosa Washi. The papermaking experience is introduced as 400 yen for two shikishi (square cards) or eight postcards, taking about 60 minutes (reservations required for groups of 10 or more). Admission is 500 yen for adults; open 9:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a public holiday). It is about a 10-minute walk from JR Ino Station.
View details →道の駅 土佐和紙工芸村くらうど
高知県吾川郡いの町鹿敷1226
A roadside station along the Niyodo River. At its papermaking workshop 'はた舎', visitors can watch washi craftspeople demonstrate hand papermaking and try papermaking themselves. It is introduced as costing from 400 yen per session and closed on Wednesdays. Prices may change.
View details →土佐和紙 井上手漉き工房
高知県土佐市高岡町乙2776
A workshop in the lower Niyodo River basin, said to have been operating since the Meiji era. A two-hour plan for beginners costs 10,000 yen per person (book at least three days in advance). A one-day plan in which a craftsperson guides you through everything from stripping kozo bark to papermaking is introduced at 40,000 yen per person (book at least 10 days in advance).
View details →FAQ
Q. Why is Tosa Tengujo paper used to restore cultural properties?
A. Because it is an ultra-thin paper made from long kozo fibers, which is tenacious and hard to tear even though it is thin enough to see through. Even when applied to the back of damaged paper or paintings, it rarely spoils the design, and it is said to be used in restorations in Japan and abroad, such as for ukiyo-e at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Q. Who was Yoshii Genta?
A. Born in Ino Village (present-day Ino Town), he is called 'the benefactor of the Tosa paper industry.' March 2026 marked the 200th anniversary of his birth. He devised a large suketa known as 'Tosa no Oketa' (the great frame of Tosa) that raised productivity, developed new papers, and spread his techniques throughout the country.