How Traditional Japanese Washi Paper is Made
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
- Mr Okuno Makoto moved to the village with his wife Okuno Kayo over 40 years ago, and he has been making paper for over 3 decades at the Ryujin Art Center. He uses paper mulberry trees from Ryujinmura and the village next door, and turns them into beautiful sheets of Japanese paper. I got invited to watch him work his magic.
#wakayama #ryujinmura #龍神村 #紙漉き #papermaking
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523 Hiroihara, Ryujinmura,
Tanabe-shi, Wakayama Prefecture
Japan 645-0523
About Ryunohara: Ryunohara is a tea and bee farm in progress. We're nestled deep in the mountains of Ryujinmura, Wakayama Prefecture. The 2 farmhouses on the property are 60 and 120 years old. We will use natural farming techniques, so no tilling, no fertilisers, pesticides, and no weeding. A farm-to-table cafe is in the works.
You put a lot of work and time into making this video. Thank you so much. It is fascinating.
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching! More about Mr Okuno in the coming months. You haven’t seen his artwork yet.
It's surprising to see that you can put wet paper sheets on top of each other and they won't permanently stick to each other.
I found that quite amazing too when I first saw it!
I will add THAT to my process…just stack and smush!
I love the way that the local businesses are recycling. So efficient and no wastage. All natural elements are respected ❤
I didn’t know I would be fascinated by paper making. I watched the whole thing.
This is such a wonderfully made video! Thank you for making this, I really appreciate the work that went into making it.
You're very welcome!
I learned about Washi by watching an art conservator use it to preserve the paint layer on paintings that are centuries old (i.e. oil paint that is flaking off or at risk of being lost due to handling). He uses it because it's extremely strong despite how delicate it looks. It's also gentle and will not damage the paint layer itself. Lastly, it's easy to remove once its task is complete. So, while it's not used to create art, it's saving timeless pieces of art. I'd say that's a worthy cause. It's a beautiful paper and a fascinating process. :)
What a fantastic documentary! Thank you for sharing it.
Checking washi making because of Honzuki Gekokujou~~
A shame that this doesn't get more views, this is really informative and well made video.
Thanks Lumus Aurus! The people who are meant to watch this will so more views would be nice but they’ll come eventually!
@@Ryunohara Like me!
Dude! This video is amazing! Please tell us more about Mr Okuno's wife something about her arts and paintings, how she doing and mixing dyes for paint. This is very interesting! Really like your content!
Thanks Peter! I’ll be making a video about her artwork when she has the time ;)
@@Ryunohara good to hear it. Keep going, you doing great!
Such a dedicated master! The glue snot reminds me of tororo. What is the most difficult step of paper making? To me it seems like getting the thickness of the paper correct during the kamisuki stage. Love the new narration style too!
The glue reminds you of tororo and yes that’s why it’s called tororoaoi - tororo hibiscus 😅 I can ask him what the most difficult step is, but I guess it has to be selling it! And glad you noticed the new narration, I’m finding it allows me to say a lot more than with the subtitles.
I've never seen the root-goo glue rendering and drying parts of the papermaking process, interesting stuff! Hopefully the locally-grown source for root stock will work out.
Well done for recording this wonderful craft. It's so important to keep records of these traditional crafts for future generations.
Thank you, from Salisbury East in South Australia.
Paul
Thank you for watching!
ahhh, I would love to know more about the transitional steps from mulberry....wood. to that pulp he's pounding on.
I hv missed this video when I saw yr 2nd making video yesterday ! Wow…. So much work & effort! Wishing I cud meet him someday! And, U r super with such videos!! 😍😍🙏🤟🏽🥰
I think you're also waking up old dormant traditions, with so many wonderful people around you, i see a great future for that village.
Mr Okuno revived this old tradition of paper all on his own, I’m just playing a small part in supporting it ☺️
This is the most interesting thing I have seen in a while, thank you for sharing it! You have a very nice and soothing voice by the way. Very easy to listen to. Please thank your friend for letting you film his paper making process. Looking forward to seeing more of the process, gathering materials etc. I find authentic paper making to be of great interest to me, it's so fascinating, and so much work! Thank you again.
Thanks for watching, and for the kind words!
Thiais wonderful-so informative. Ive seen kozo paper being made on You Tube many times, but this is rich in detail and your commentary is most informative. :-)
Glad it was helpful!
You know this is Pure art, like when you finish a piece that was hard but you tried it because you knew it was worth it and after finishing that thing that you want you finally tell yourself : i did it.
And that moment is the thing that always brings artists joy
Thank you for this. We in the west take so very much of our everyday materials for granted without at all considering how or where it was made, in what environment, at what cost. Our own paper industry used to be similar in medieval times but we haven't valued the skills and craftsmanship, and deep knowledge, and time and effort, that it took to make this stuff. To our detriment! If civilisation collapses (what are the chances?) we need to relearn all this, and so much more. And it just adds extra dimensions to everyday existence, enriching life. Japanese cultural traditions have much to teach us. So thanks again for keeping this alive.
The Japanese government gives out awards for National Living Treasure to skilled craftspeople. How wonderful is that? Another tradition to emulate, having such cultural value across generations.
I am in the US and totally obsessed with paper mulberry. Finding your channel is really exciting, as you do an excellent job. One thing your video doesn’t show is when and how they separate the outer bark from the inner bark. I watched the other video and it showed the whole stripped bark being hung to dry, and now this video showing the bark separated. Could you share the step of separating outer vs inner bark? Thank you so much!
Hello Eliza! Thanks for watching. Are you making your own paper?
The bark you see in this video is actually the brown bark you see being hung to dry in the other video. It has become a lighter shade of brown because UV rays have bleached it slightly. The brown bark is kept from winter till summer, when there is very strong sun. The dried brown bark is then placed in large tubs of cool, flowing water, and sunned for 2 days (watch from 18:01). The sun bleaches it and it turns white.
@@Ryunohara I'm not making paper yet. I got turned onto kozo as a livestock feed, but I love the versatility. Thanks so much for answering my question!
@@greenea0 that’s interesting! What do you feed it to?
Japanese craftsmen are dedicated in their work , nice documentary
Very informative and well-made video, thank you!
Incredibly labor intensive! A true craftsman at work. I would like to have even just one sheet of Washi paper!
What a lot of work! Amazing to see - thank you! I'll be waiting for the winter harvest.
Such beautiful images. I just heard about washi paper for the first time (european here) and I had to know how it was made. You got a subscriber here. Can't wait to explore your channel.
That last image is so great, such a well balanced shot. And the light when he turned the lights off... Just beautiful image.
Thanks for watching! Glad you found the video helpful.
Anyone have suggestions for acquiring high quality Washi in the UK?
i love how in his station when he’s pounding the fibers you can see the years of fibers stuck to the walls and door, it shows how much time and effort he puts into this
also, i wonder, if the term “washi” is japanese paper, how does this correlate to “washi tape”?
Great documentary on the subject and Mr Okuno Makoto. Thank you for sharing it.
You’re welcome!
Great Craftmanship.👏
Came here after watching Ascendance of a Bookworm where the main character makes washi paper
This is what happens when all the paper and cardboard factories are burnt down.
Thank you so much for recording this process. Amazing video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for the sharing.
You have spent a lot of your time for the video. Thank you again.
My pleasure!
11:36 Cresol is now forbidden in certain countries due to its toxicity. A woodworking video about wood treatment effectiveness I saw mentioned this.
I googled it further and found an article that says:
Its main toxicity is due to denaturation and precipitation of cellular proteins and thus poisons all cells directly. It can be absorbed following inhalation, oral, or dermal exposure. Its poisoning can be fatal.
That’s important information. Thanks for letting me know! I will ask Okuno san if he has plans to use other preservatives.
Helo Mr Ryunohara, thanks alot for your documentation. May i ask you is it in japan sell kamisuki that made from bamboo and possible send to Indonesia 🙏😇 thank you
Hi! Mr Okuno only makes traditional washi and not bamboo washi at the moment. There’s a bamboo washi maker in Ryujinmura and I can have a word with him about exports. He can only produce a very small quantity at a time though.
thank you so much for the video. when will you post the second part with the kozo harvest ? 待ってます
4:50 me in my goon room
What is the purpose of adding the glue to the pulp? Is that for sizing?
The sunset hibiscus root glue is added so that the paper pulp does not strain out too quickly (and hence turn out uneven).
Eeew snot! It did look like it too!😄. It was a very interesting video, thank you for sharing it as it would have been hard work, I'd like to to try making paper from eucalyptus leaves. Cheers from Australia!
Doggy.
..and how did Japan function when they weren't taking two weeks to make a single sheet of paper...
Thank you for an excellent video.
some how Mr.Okuno give me a dilemma from his conversation while making washi paper. should I move to japan to farm there or just farm here in The Philippines?
Hahaha come move to Ryujinmura
@@Ryunohara well i need to find a job first. I still haven't finish university...... and there is covid but i do love to live in the countryside of japan. I dont know?😌
I never even been in Japan
this is beautiful and very humbling to watch, thank you for sharing
Thanks for watching!
excelente video y explicacion del proceso de produccion artesanal.saludos de san javier de loncomilla desde la republica de chile
Thank you for watching!
Great informative video. Thanks.
Thanks for watching Wendy!
This was very enjoyable to watch. Thank you so much. I am a new subscriber
Thanks for subbing!
very underrated
I love handmade arts ❤️
please i want to know how the paper sheets doesn't stuck together when he took them off, is there a secret ?
Okuno-san says the secret is in practicing!
👏👏👏so much passion
Hi, thank you for this great video. Could you tell me what the beater is made of? And what about the table? Thank you!
Let me check with Okuno-san re. the beater. The table is made of granite.
Hello Melanie, Mr Okuno says the beater is sakura (cherry blossom). He made it himself.
Beautiful video, thank you 🙏
Thanks for watching!
This is so interesting! And I love so much that he uses the waste products from other places in his process. Thanks so much for sharing this video.
Using waste materials efficiently is a key part of Mr Okuno’s work ☺️
@@Ryunohara it should be a key part of more people's work. I really love that concept.
Amazing ! Thank you so much !
Thanks for watching!
This is great my man I want learn this
Okuno-san offers a half-day workshop so if you come by Ryujinmura…
Is this the same mulberry they feed the silk worms?
Different! Silkworms eat Morus alba, this is Broussonetia kazinoki x papyrifera.
@@RyunoharaThank you for your answer. I am still figuring all this out. This video was fantastic. 😀
I just started learning to make paper at home, and this was a delightful video to find on UA-cam. Thank you for taking the time to document this incredibly unique and beautiful process.
Glad it was helpful!
He can't possibly make enough money for what he does. No one could pay me any amount to sit and pound paper for 4 hours. There has to be a machine that could do that job. I applaude his fortitude.
there are, this is just tourist crapola
What is the name of the tree whose bark is being used?
It’s Broussonetia kazinoki x papyrifera