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| Mino washi | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mino washi |
| Caption | Traditional papermaking in Gifu Prefecture |
| Origin | Ōno, Gifu |
| Introduced | c. 8th century |
| Material | Kozo, Mitsumata, Gampi |
| Traditional crafts | Mino Province papermaking |
Mino washi is a traditional Japanese paper produced in the Mino region of what is now Gifu Prefecture with roots extending to the Nara period and development through the Heian and Muromachi periods. The craft gained official recognition in modern times through designation programs involving Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan), UNESCO, and local prefectural initiatives. Mino washi has played roles in diplomatic gifts, preservation of documents used by Tokugawa shogunate, restoration projects associated with Himeji Castle and Kinkaku-ji, and contemporary collaborations with designers linked to Issey Miyake and museums such as the British Museum.
The origins trace to techniques introduced during contacts with Tang dynasty artisans and flourished alongside political centers such as Nara and Kyoto, influencing administrative record keeping for the Heian period court and later the Edo period daimyo. Workshops in the Mino area adapted to demands from marketplaces connected to the Tōkaidō and Nakasendō routes, supplying paper to merchants in Osaka and artisans in Edo. During the Meiji Restoration era, modernization affects from figures around Emperor Meiji and institutions like the Ministry of Education (Japan) altered production scales, while wartime pressures in the Shōwa period and postwar reconstruction involved contracts with agencies linked to Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. Recent heritage efforts include listings promoted by the Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan) and international recognition paralleling entries by UNESCO and collaborations with curators from the Smithsonian Institution and National Diet Library.
Traditional recipes rely on fibers from plants such as kozo, mitsumata, and gampi, processed using methods reflecting techniques from the Tang dynasty and innovations contemporary with workshops in Edo. Water quality from rivers like the Kiso River and springs near Ōno, Gifu affects sizing and whiteness, with alkali treatments historically using ash sources similar to those employed in Nara kilns. The nagashizuki and tamezuki vat techniques correspond to practices documented in treatises referenced by scholars at University of Tokyo and conservation labs at Getty Conservation Institute. Tools include su (bamboo screen) and keta (wooden frame), while drying over boards or in drying sheds parallels methods preserved in archives at International Council on Monuments and Sites partnered institutions.
Sheets vary from ultra-thin hanshita to heavier hosho and katazome supports used in printmaking, with distinctions analogous to classifications within Edo period stationery and restoration standards employed by the British Library and the Library of Congress. Variants such as gampi-based translucent papers were prized by calligraphers at Kōzan-ji and screen painters working for Tokugawa shogunate commissions. Strength, fiber length, and surface sizing determine suitability for uses ranging from conservation of scrolls found in collections like the National Museum of Asian Art to use in lanterns sold in markets near Takayama and supplied to stage designers collaborating with institutions like the National Theatre of Japan.
Mino washi has been central to ukiyo-e printmaking commissions associated with artists in the circle of Utagawa Hiroshige and Katsushika Hokusai, paper mounting for hanging scrolls displayed at Tokyo National Museum, and as a substrate for modern artists such as Yayoi Kusama and designers like Tadashi Kawamata. Craftsmen supplied craftsmen in kimono production connected to ateliers patronized by figures from Meiji era cultural salons and contemporary fashion houses including Comme des Garçons. The paper features in festivals in Gifu Prefecture, lantern processions referencing Obon, and collaborative installations with curators from institutions such as the Mori Art Museum and conservators from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Production centers in cities and towns across Gifu Prefecture link to tourism circuits promoted by the Japan National Tourism Organization and local chambers of commerce, contributing to regional branding alongside products like Hida furniture from Takayama and ceramics from Mino ware. Artisanal workshops interact with university programs at Gifu University and trade missions coordinated by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Japan), while export channels connect makers with galleries in Paris, New York City, and London. Certification and geographical indication discussions engage policymakers at Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan) and trade negotiators during dialogues with representatives from organizations such as the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Collections housing artifacts on Mino washi include the National Diet Library, regional archives in Gifu Prefecture, and museums like the British Museum and the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, requiring conservation protocols developed by teams at the Getty Conservation Institute and academic laboratories at Keio University and Kyoto University. Preservation techniques address acidity, light exposure, and biological agents following guidelines used by the International Council on Archives and standards set by the International Organization for Standardization relevant to paper materials. Local intangible cultural property designations managed by the Agency for Cultural Affairs (Japan) support apprenticeship systems tied to vocational training at institutions linked to Tokyo University of the Arts and community heritage projects funded through prefectural cultural grants.
Category:Japanese paper