From origami and ikebana to ukiyō-e woodblock prints and shodō calligraphy, washi (“Japanese paper”) is used in many renowned arts and crafts from Japan. But it was also a practical material back in the day, providing clothes and useful household goods such as tableware.
Recognised by UNESCO for its cultural heritage, traditional washi differs from ordinary paper as it’s often handcrafted in a highly intricate process involving fibres from the bark of paper mulberry bushes (or the gampi and mitsumata tree). This makes it tougher and more like cloth.
Washi remains a stylish and much sought-after material in Japan, used to make anything from artisanal jewellery to toys!