While inheriting the tradition of washi—handmade Japanese paper, I keep improving colors and materials

Gassan Washi Oisawa Kobo Sampo Mr. Kazuyuki Miura

Nishikawamachi, which is located at the foot of Mt. Gassan in Yamagata Prefecture, is in the land of mountain worship called Dewasanzan (Dewa Three Mountains: Mt. Gassan, Mt. Yudono and Mt. Haguro). Gassan washi originated from Nishiyama washi, which used to be made in the area where Iwanesawa Sanzan Shrine is located. In 1900, 221 farmers made washi during cold winter. However, washi was quickly replaced by modern paper during the rapid economic growth in Japan, and as a result the number of washi artisans decreased sharply. Mr. Hiroo Iino from Iwanesawa changed the name Nishiyama washi to Gassan washi, and he preserved the tradition single-handedly until Spring 1995. In order to preserve the valuable artistic tradition, in 1989 the Town Council of Nishikawamachi had built a traditional art museum called Denshokan in Oisawa. They had set up an internal washi workshop, but Mr. Iino was unable to work there. Consequently, they had to look for a successor, and eventually Mr. Kazuyuki Miura was invited to take over Gassan washi.

I arrived in Nishikawamachi with my determination to make washi by hand with natural ingredients produced in Japan

Mr. Kazuyuki Miura was born in 1951 in Akita Prefecture. After graduating from technical high school, he worked in Tokyo, but when he was 35 years old, he decided to make washi that he loved. He started his training in Ogawamachi, Saitama Prefecture. The town was a production center of Hosokawa washi and a center of the Japanese washi industry. Subsequently Hosokawa washi became a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Alas, Hosokawa washi was not always made exclusively with Japanese kozo (paper mulberry). It was made mostly with imported kozo, and sometimes it was even mixed with cheap pulp. Mr. Miura wanted to make a traditional washi with kozo cultivated in Japan. In the fifth year of the training, he started to search for a way to be an independent artisan. That was when he met City Hall representatives from Nishikawamachi. They were visiting Ogawamachi to look for a successor for Gassan washi.

“When I visited Nishikawamachi, I thought that it was an ideal place to make washi. The town is surrounded by beautiful nature with Asahi Mountain Range, Mt. Gassan, and Sagae River, which is known as a clear stream. In winter, snow depths reach three meters. This did not deter me, as I was born in Akita Prefecture, which is next to Yamagata.”
In 1993 he moved to Nishikawamachi. Thereafter, he used only Japanese kozo, and he decided never to bleach paper with chemicals. In Denshokan he began building a new tradition of Gassan washi. Local people helped him harvesting kozo, steaming it, and peeling it. He made washi taking advantage of the local features; exposing washi to snow and to the freezing weather (the methods called yukisarashi and kangure), assembling washi with local ingredients such as petals of benibana (the representative flower of Yamagata), local plants in Oisawa like beech and wild grapes, and Gassan bamboo shoot. Gradually, Mr. Miura’s Gassan washi career took off.

Paper ingredients mixed with benibana petals

Washi with benibana petals

Setting up an atelier, and expanding possibilities

In 2002, Mr. Miura created a new atelier inside his house, and he expanded possibilities of his washi. The traditional Gassan washi has two sizes; Gassan Size (30cm x 78cm), which is easy to use as shoji paper, and Kiku Size (63cm x 94cm), which is a common size. However, he started receiving orders with special requests from customers in various fields, following news spreading about his washi.
Tohoku University of Art and Design ordered 100 special thick washi in Size No.50 (103cm x 130cm) for the students who studies Japanese style painting. They also ordered 250 six-momme (momme is a Japanese measure for thickness) washi with mulberry-bark pieces in Kiku Size for the students who learn to restore antique artwork. Also, from the paper wholesalers, he received special orders such as Gassan-size washi that was exposed to snow and made in cold weather, washi boiled with wood ash (instead of soda ash), and other orders with individual requests.
Furthermore, non-profit organizations in the area and the town council asked him if they could use his washi to revitalize the town and if he could produce special washi with local ingredients. For example, a non-profit organization from neighboring town Oemachi requested Mr. Miura to make washi assembled with Aoso, as they are promoting its revival. Aoso is a perennial plant of the Urticaceae family, and it was considered to be a precious material for high-quality textile before silkworm cultivation began in Meiji Era.

Washi with warm colors

Inspiring the potential of washi lamps

Among all, the person who uses Mr. Miura’s washi most frequently in largest quantity is Ms. Mayumi Seino. She is called Gassan Washi Akari Artist. She lives in Shizu, Nishikawamachi. She started making washi lamps, using the old Gassan washi which was stored at her parents’ house. However, when she began to teach many people how to make washi lamps, soon she run out of paper. Ms. Seino tried various new papers, but none of them could express old Gassan washi’s heartwarming charm. In addition, they were not easy to work with. After many failed experiments, she encountered Mr. Miura’s washi. It was different from other papers. As soon as she started using his washi, she felt so inspired by it. Beautiful fluff appeared, when she ripped it by hand. It was easy to mold to make shapes. The colors of his washi are warm, as he dyes it with natural ingredients, and his washi has a good selection of color.
Mr. Miura makes a lot of prototypes which he doesn’t plan to sell. And he secretly stocks them on the second floor of his atelier. Ms. Seino is permitted to enter there freely. Even if Mr. Miura calls it failure, paper with uneven surface is an attractive personality to Ms. Seino. Her eyes, in the light through her washi lamp, certainly see the potential of Mr. Miura’s washi.

Mr. Miura with Ms. Mayumi Seino of Gassan Washi Akari

Mr. Kazuyuki Miura

Born in Akita Prefecture in 1951. At the age of 35, he gave up his job as a company employee, and started to make washi. After the seven-year training in Ogawamachi, Saitama Prefecture, he moved to Nishikawamachi, Yamagata Prefecture. He inherited Gassan washi from Mr. Hiroo Iino, who was from Iwanesawa. Thereafter, he made washi in the museum, Denshokan. In 2002, he opened his atelier, Sampo, in his house, and has mainly worked there since then, but he has continued to teach papermaking at Denshokan. In 2017, Ms. Naoko Shibuya came to succeed the atelier at Denshokan. Currently Mr. Miura and Ms. Shibuya work together to make ideal washi every day.

Gassan Washi Oisawa Kobo Sampo

3425-24 Oisawa, Nishikawamachi, Nishimurayamagun Yamagata 990-0721 Japan
TEL
0237-76-2088
FAX
0237-76-2088