AIC's 46th Annual Meeting

Washi, or Japanese paper, is both a material of cultural heritage and a material used ubiquitously in conservation. Long before it became an amazing conservation material, washi had specific purposes tied to Japanese culture. Japanese papermaking is a historical craft that has experienced significant changes in the past few decades. Sadly, not all changes are for the better—the number of papermakers is dwindling and certain types of washi have become extinct due to closure of papermaking mills responding to various pressures. The accelerated changes in the world of washi compounded by potential language barriers for conservators who are not fluent in Japanese make it difficult for conservators to be certain of how these changes might be affecting washi used for treatment.  Seminal research has been conducted in the past about Japanese papermaking materials and techniques as well as technical analysis of handmade and machine made washi to determine its most appropriate use in conservation. However, these references may not be current enough for conservators to assess papers made in modern times.
 
By maintaining a current understanding of the history and process of Japanese papers we are respecting washi as both an object of cultural importance and as a conservation material that we use so commonly. This presentation seeks to review the history and technical process of Japanese papermaking. It will look at the methods and techniques of the papermakers represented by Hiromi Paper Inc., as well as some of the toolmakers, and raw materials involved in the papermaking process. Related conservation research published to date will be covered, and methods of extracting information through visual examination of washi for practical applications in conservation will be discussed.