Rediscovering the art of washi papermaking in the heart of Shikoku

Washi craftsman Yohei Uitenboogaart holds up a new creation to the light

Washi Studio Kamikoya is an ideal accommodation for nature lovers. It’s set in forested hills overlooking a tranquil valley near Kochi Prefecture’s Shimanto River where farmers tend their rice paddies. The inn and workshop are surrounded by flowers and plants whose fibers can be used to make paper. It’s not surprising that kami (Japanese for paper) is part of the inn’s name. It’s a perfect setting to destress, soak up the sights and sounds of the natural environment, and try your hand at making washi.

Kamikoya is an inn and papermaking workshop nestled in the hills of Yusuhara, Kochi Prefecture

Unlike industrial paper made from wood pulp, washi is made from bark fiber from paper mulberry and Oriental paperbush, a plant whose fibers are used in Japanese banknotes. Washi is renowned for its beauty, strength and translucency and has been used in everything from paintings, prints and shoji screens to traditional Japanese umbrellas, lanterns and clothing; fashion designers such as Issey Miyake have also used washi in contemporary designs.

Oriental paperbush growing in the garden of Kamikoya

Kamikoya washi lanterns incorporate ferns and other plant elements found around Kamikoya

Washi is cultivated by people and reflects an appreciation of nature, says craftsman Rogier Uitenboogaart

Born in The Hague, Uitenboogaart studied graphic arts in Amsterdam and first encountered washi while working as a bookbinder. Shocked by its quality, he wanted to learn more but there was little information about it in the Netherlands despite centuries of bilateral relations. Uitenboogaart decided to study washi in Japan under a Japanese craftsman. He gradually mastered the traditional techniques of making Tosa washi, a craft that dates back more than 1,400 years.

“I visited many papermaking centers, and on my way, I really started to like it,” says Uitenboogaart. “I thought, ‘This is what I’m looking for!’”

Today, Uitenboogaart is the only foreign-born master papermaker in Japan and one of only about 15 active washi papermakers left in Kochi. When he arrived in Japan there were about 600 washi craftsmen, down from tens of thousands in the Meiji era (1868–1912); today only about 150 remain. He and his son Yohei sell their creations to upscale residences and hotels as decorative elements; some are 2 to 3 meters wide but they can also reach 6 meters in width.

Traditional Japanese guest rooms at Washi Studio Kamikoya are papered with washi and lit by washi lamps made by hand in the atelier downstairs

The works of Uitenboogaart and his son Yohei are valued not only for their beauty and authenticity but their durability, translucence and playfulness—they often incorporate pressed petals, stems, ferns and other plant elements from the Kamikoya garden.

“I was drawn to washi because it’s amazing when you hold it up to the light,” says Uitenboogaart. “It felt very soft, thin and strong It’s so different from Western handmade paper. Also, I was struck by how you can see the fibers, even in very fine washi. That made me very curious.”

Making washi begins with the removal of bark from paper mulberry or Oriental paperbush

Guests at Kamikoya can participate in workshops, lasting two, six or 12 hours, where they learn how to make washi and how it is produced. First, organically grown paper mulberry (kozo) and Oriental paperbush (mitsumata) plants are harvested. The cuttings are steamed to remove the outer bark, which is then cooked in alkaline water impregnated with limestone, a feature of washi from the Tosa region.

Bark fibers are pounded by hand to make a thin paste that is spread out to form a sheet

The fibers are then placed in streaming water for two days. If a whiter shade of paper is desired, it is exposed to sunlight. It is then pounded by hand, formed into sheets, pressed and dried on boards. Decorative elements such as petals and ferns can be added before pressing. From the cooking stage to the final steps, the process takes at least one week.

Yohei Uitenboogaart adds adhesive neri derived from plants in the okra family

Guests are encouraged to visit the Kamikoya garden to find seasonal plants and flowers to decorate their handmade washi with

Apart from filling orders for residential complex builders, the Uitenboogaarts are now focused on collaborations with the likes of Kengo Kuma, the renowned Japanese architect who has designed a number of buildings in Yusuhara itself, and even global fashion house Fendi. It seems that washi may be entering a renaissance thanks in part to these dedicated craftsmen.

“I think that the best era for washi is now,” says Rogier. “In the beginning, washi was used for spiritual purposes such as Buddhist sutras. Then, it became a useful material for lay people. Now there are so many other materials, but there is so much power in washi. It’s cultivated by people, with the soil and water, it reflects an appreciation of nature. People say it’s warm and has healing qualities, which is good in such stressful times.”

Washi Studio Kamikoya welcomes all guests including people interested in papermaking. Japanese-style guestrooms with tatami mats and private bathroom start from about 10,000 yen per person, tax included; breakfast is 1,000 yen. Visit their homepage for information on reservations.

Kamikoya homepage:
https://kamikoya-washi.com/en/accommodation/


Address:

Washi Studio Kamikoya: 1678, Otado, Yusuhara Town, Takaoka Gun, Kochi Prefecture

和紙スタジオ かみこや(Washi Studio かみこや)

高知県高岡郡梼原町太田戸1678

0889680355

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