What Is Washi? Japanese Paper, Fibres and How It Is Made
Sep 28, 2026
Quick answer: Washi (和紙) means Japanese paper, but the most important traditional forms are not simply “paper made in Japan.” They are made from long plant fibres—especially kōzo (paper mulberry), mitsumata and ganpi—using regional papermaking methods that can produce thin, strong and highly durable sheets.
Traditional washi is used for writing, printing, calligraphy, bookbinding, shōji screens, interior panels, conservation, wrapping and craft. It should not be confused with “rice paper,” a loose English label that often refers to entirely different materials.
What is washi?
Wa means Japanese and shi means paper. In modern use, the word can cover a wide range of Japanese papers, from strictly traditional handmade sheets to products inspired by those traditions.
That breadth matters. Not every product sold as “washi” is handmade, and not every Japanese paper belongs to the specific traditional papermaking communities recognised by cultural-heritage systems.
What is washi made from?
Traditional Japanese papermaking commonly uses bast fibres from plants such as:
- Kōzo (paper mulberry): long, strong fibres widely used for shōji paper, printmaking, calligraphy and craft;
- Mitsumata: finer fibres that can produce smooth paper with a soft sheen;
- Ganpi: fine, naturally lustrous fibres used for thin, refined papers;
- Hemp and other fibres in some regional traditions.
The exact raw material depends on the region and intended paper.
Is washi made from rice?
Usually, no.
“Rice paper” is an imprecise English term used for several unrelated Asian materials. Traditional Japanese washi is generally based on plant bast fibres such as kōzo, mitsumata and ganpi rather than rice.
When buying or describing Japanese paper, the actual fibre is more informative than the label “rice paper.”
How is traditional washi made?
The details vary by region, but a traditional sequence can include:
- Harvesting plant material. Kōzo and other fibre plants are cut and prepared.
- Steaming and stripping bark. The useful inner bark is separated from the stem.
- Soaking and cleaning. Bark is softened and unwanted outer material removed.
- Cooking the fibres. Alkaline solutions help separate the useful fibre from non-fibrous material.
- Washing and removing impurities. Clean water and careful hand sorting improve the finished sheet.
- Beating the fibre. The prepared material is broken down so fibres can disperse in water.
- Forming sheets. Fibre suspended in water is lifted on a screen or mould, often using the nagashi-zuki flow-forming method.
- Pressing. Water is removed from the stacked sheets.
- Drying. Sheets may be dried on boards or heated surfaces depending on the tradition.
What is nagashi-zuki?
Nagashi-zuki is one of the best-known Japanese sheet-forming techniques. The papermaker repeatedly moves a screened frame through a vat of fibre and water so the fibres spread and interlock across the sheet.
Traditional recipes often add a viscous formation aid known as neri, frequently made from tororo-aoi. This slows drainage and helps distribute long fibres evenly.
Different regions use different motions, screens, fibre mixtures and drying systems, so “washi” should not be treated as one uniform process.
Why can washi be so strong?
Long fibres are a major reason.
Kōzo in particular produces long, tough fibres. When those fibres are cleaned carefully and distributed through the sheet, they create a strong internal network even when the finished paper is thin.
Strength also depends on fibre quality, preparation, sheet formation and finishing. “Handmade” alone does not guarantee quality.
Major washi regions
Japan has many papermaking traditions. Examples include:
- Mino Washi in Gifu;
- Echizen Washi in Fukui;
- Sekishū Washi in Shimane;
- Tosa Washi in Kōchi;
- Inshū Washi in Tottori;
- Etchū Washi in Toyama.
Each region has its own material standards, sheet-forming methods and product traditions.
What does UNESCO recognise?
UNESCO's Representative List includes the craftsmanship of traditional Japanese hand-made paper known as Washi. The listing concerns living community knowledge and practice rather than declaring every paper labelled “washi” to be identical or heritage-certified.
That distinction is useful whenever the word is used commercially.
What is washi used for?
Traditional and modern applications include:
- shōji screens and interior panels;
- calligraphy and painting;
- woodblock printing;
- books and book repair;
- document conservation;
- wrapping and envelopes;
- lamps and interior design;
- craft and collage;
- mounting and backing for artworks.
The paper's fibre, thickness, absorbency and surface are chosen for the job.
Is all washi handmade?
No.
Modern Japanese paper production includes machine-made papers as well as handmade traditions. A product can be Japanese paper without being made sheet by sheet using traditional methods.
Good product descriptions should therefore say what is known: fibre, region, maker, production method and intended use.
Washi and Japanese craftsmanship
Washi is a useful example of why material knowledge matters. A finished sheet can look simple, but the quality depends on agriculture, water, fibre preparation, repeated cleaning, tool control and judgement during sheet formation.
For the wider framework, see Traditional Japanese Craftsmanship: Materials, Skills and Making Today.
Washi, gifts and packaging
Because washi can be light, foldable, printable and visually distinctive, it appears often in wrapping, envelopes and gift presentation.
That makes it a useful material to understand alongside omiyage and Japanese gift-giving culture, although not every Japanese gift package uses washi.
What should we film in a washi workshop?
- the raw bark before processing;
- stripping and cleaning fibres;
- impurities being picked out by hand;
- beating prepared fibres;
- the vat before a sheet is formed;
- the papermaker's repeated frame movement;
- wet sheets stacked one by one;
- pressing and water removal;
- drying sheets on boards or heated surfaces;
- the same paper held against light to show fibre distribution.
The most valuable footage would show why a sheet that looks simple can contain a long chain of material decisions.
