Washi used in all areas of daily life
In Japan, papermaking techniques spread to almost the entire country during the Edo period(1603–1868), and paper was used in all areas of daily life, not just books. Even today, the …
Course: The Art of Washi Paper in Japanese Rare Books
How can I make a koyori?
A koyori is needed to hold together the bundles of paper that will become a book. The diverse types of washi each have their own characteristics, and at times washi …
Fiber orientation and paper properties
Paper properties are affected not only by raw materials and the papermaking method, but also by the alignment of fibers, which is called “fiber orientation.” Here we’ll learn more about …
5 different Japanese bookbinding styles
Let’s learn about book manufacturing from Ōiri Co., Ltd., a modern-day kyōji. First of all, what structures do books have? Let’s identify the different types of books and their binding …
Dissemination of paper and papermaking techniques
When was paper disseminated to the world? And how? Let’s trace the path of dissemination from its origin in China, to Western Europe, and on to America. The world’s oldest …
Farewell from your educators
Now that you’ve made your way through the course we would like to thank you for staying with us until the end. Watch the video to see Professor Sasaki and …
Summary of Week 2
Week 2 will have given you an idea of the great variety of decorated papers used in traditional Japanese bookmaking. There are also many less common types of paper that …
A History of Fabric Book Covers
Book are not always made only of paper. Book covers, for instance, were often made of fabric. Kire (fragments) are scraps of ancient fabric. In the video, the following types …
Karaoshi (embossment)
Unlike regular karakami, in which the blocks are first smeared with paint and then pressed onto the paper, the designs are applied to the paper by pressing it against the …
Rōsen and yakie
Next, we look at other kinds of paper that, like karakami, originally came to Japan from China. To make rōsen (wax-rubbed paper), gubiki paper (see Step 2.14) is placed on …
A History of Shita-e
Prior to writing on them, the pages of traditional books were often decorated with painted motifs such as birds, plants, etc. using gold or silver paint (kindei and gindei). Because …
Karakami
Another example of paper decorating techniques using minerals is called karakami (Chinese-style paper). Karakami The word Karakami originally referred to paper imported from China (Kara = Cathay) but over time …
Japanese Paper Decoration: Kirabiki and Gubiki
In addition to gold and silver leaf, powdered mica (a transparent silicate called kira in Japanese) is also used as a material for paper decoration. Similarly, powder was also made …
Sunagogami and Hakuokigami
Previous steps in the The Art of Washi Paper in Japanese Rare Books Course centre around decorating and dying techniques of simple paper. We will now discuss decoration techniques in …
Japanese Paper Decoration in the 12th Century
The golden age of paper decoration in Japanese book history was the 12th century, in the final part of the Heian period. At this time, an enormous amount of wealth …