Craft · No. 183
No. 183和紙
Echizen Washi
越前和紙
echizen washi · 福井県
Echizen Washi is a traditional handmade Japanese paper produced in the Imadate area of Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture. Boasting over a millennium of history, it is celebrated for its exceptional quality, diverse range of paper types, and enduring role as a premier supplier of ceremonial and artistic paper.
- Origin
- 福井県
- Category
- 和紙
- Materials
- Washi paper · 楮 · 三椏
- Designation
- Nat'l Traditional Craft
No. IHistory
The origins of Echizen Washi are traced to the Asuka period, with a local legend enshrined at Okamoto Shrine and Otaki Shrine telling of a goddess who…
No. IIMaterials
Echizen Washi is made primarily from three plant fibers: kozo (paper mulberry), mitsumata, and ganpi. Kozo yields long, strong fibers ideal for durabl…
No. IIITechniques
Production begins with the careful selection and scouring of raw fibers, which are softened by boiling in an alkaline solution and then beaten by hand…
No. IVClimate
The Imadate area sits nestled among mountains where heavy winter snowfall feeds clean, mineral-poor streams and groundwater. This soft, low-iron water…
