Site visit report | Echizen Washi Village ①

Among the many washi-producing regions across Japan, we visited Echizen Washi-no-Sato, which boasts a long history of 1,500 years .
Our attendant was Hiroya Yamashita of Yamashita Paper Mills, who has developed friendships with other brands through exhibitions and other events. Yamaji Paper Mill is also a manufacturer with a long history, having been founded in the first year of the Meiji era.
Using handmade paper and innovative ideas, we create a variety of paper, from traditional processing to paper with unique textures.

At Yamaji Paper Mills, which makes handmade and art booth paper, I had the opportunity to experience papermaking under the guidance of Mr. Yamashita, and even though it looks easy when you look at it, it turns out to be a level-headed job when you try it. It is difficult to even maintain it and is swayed by the weight and flow of water.

Although it looks easy, the smooth movements make you feel like it's an expert skill. When you slowly put it on a machine and let it dry, you will notice that the result is completely different from paper made by craftsmen.

After the experience, we were shown the variously processed paper in the on-site gallery. There are also products that fit into modern life, such as notebooks and tea cans, that use the ``watermark technique'' and ``floating paper'' created using Yamaji Paper Mills' unique technology . When I talk to Mr. Yamashita, he often talks about how to connect washi made using traditional techniques with everyday techniques and products .

At Taisei Shiki Seisakusho, we are thinking about how to connect the fun of printing and paper carton technology to an industry that produces appropriate quantities. There aren't many technologies that can be used with washi, but I hope to someday work with them as a good starting point for the paper industry, or as colleagues in the search for new value.

Yamaji Paper Mill 29-5 Otakicho, Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture 9150234
https://yamatsugi-seishi.com/