Born in a Historical Region, Naturally Led to the Path of Craftsman

Please tell us about the founding of Igarashi Seishi, and the characteristics of the current workshop.

Igarashi Seishi was established in 1919 (Taisho era year 8) by my great-grandfather. In October 2023, we will celebrate our 104th year of establishment. Currently, we are manufacturing with a team of nine people, including family members and part-timers, and my mother and I are actively working as traditional craftsmen.

What we make ranges from wallpapers and fusuma paper to wrapping paper, sake labels and small items. We do not limit ourselves to the shape, thickness or size of the items we manufacture. We cater to everything—from flat to three-dimensional objects, thin to thick.

A distinctive feature of our workshop is our strong spirit of challenge. If we receive a request asking, "Can you do this?" our response is, "Let's try it once." We often have wholesalers consulting us, saying, "We tried asking other workshops, but they rejected it. Can Igarashi Seishi do it?"

Could you share the story of how you got involved in the workshop?

Being an only child, it was naturally expected that I would take over the workshop that has been inherited for generations. Echizen is the oldest Wasahi production area in Japan—a city where many people are involved in papermaking.

Papermaking was introduced about 1500 years ago. There are theories suggesting it came along with Buddhism (sutras) from China, and the other that a goddess taught papermaking for the area around Otaki Shrine, which is not suitable for crop cultivation.

There are various theories, but with the proximity of Echizen Port and the presence of books made in Echizen at the Shosoin in Nara, the theory that it was transmitted from China seems most plausible.

You mentioned Echizen is the oldest Washi production site in Japan, but how many workshops are there in the entire production area?

I think there are more than 50 workshops. However, the exact number is unclear as there are some who are not members of the Fukui Prefecture Paper Industry Cooperative Association. We have a variety of people involved, including those who make papermaking tools and those involved in Washi manufacturing.

However, the number of workshops has been declining lately due to the lack of successors. It is inevitable, but it feels a bit lonely.

From Shortage of Washi Raw Materials to Development of Food Paper Using Food

Please tell us about the process of Washi production.

We soak the raw material for the paper in water and add caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) to boil it. After extracting the lye, we manually remove the trash that comes out through a process called 'chiritori'. The things removed during chiritori are then beaten with a wooden stick to finely break down the wooden fibers.

There are machine and manual methods for this beating process, and the texture and feel of the finished product change depending on which method is used. At the very least, this process takes about 2-3 hours.

After that, we mix 'Neri', made from a plant of the mallow family called Tororo Aoi, to create a viscous liquid. To make beautiful paper, the fibers need to be evenly dispersed in the water without any unevenness. With the addition of Neri, the fibers can disperse in the water without tangling with each other during papermaking. When making paper, layers of material containing Neri are stacked. After papermaking, the water is removed, it is attached to the board, and when it dries, it is finished.

All processes are important, but the most time-consuming is chiritori. If the dust (trash) is not properly removed, the papermaking will not be done neatly. Also, as the color preferences differ among customers, we sort during chiritori to achieve the desired color.

The process of making Neri is also equally important. The quality changes depending on the temperature and how it is mixed. If the material is undercooked, the fibers become hard, and when the Washi is made, those hard fibers remain.

What are the raw materials used for the paper?

The main raw materials for paper are kozo (paper mulberry), mitsumata, and gampi. Mitsumata is also used as a raw material for Japanese banknotes.

We choose the materials to use according to the application. For instance, paper made from gampi is glossy and beautiful with a smooth writing surface. It's a beautiful paper that is incredibly popular among artists.

Does the time it takes to make washi depend on the materials used?

The working time does change depending on the materials used. Ganpi, in particular, produces a lot of dust, so the dusting process takes time.

The reason why ganpi produces a lot of dust is because it takes a long time to reach harvest. Kozo can grow in one year once the plant is in place and can be harvested every year. On the other hand, ganpi cannot be used as a raw material unless 7-10 years have passed after planting the seed. Because the period necessary for growth is long, a lot of fine dust can settle in during this time.

In addition to the long time it takes to harvest ganpi, there is also the problem that the harvest is difficult. It grows abundantly in the mountains, but because there are risks of encountering bears, there is no one who can go to collect it. Furthermore, with the aging of artisans, the number of people who know where ganpi is growing is rapidly decreasing.

Since almost no domestic raw materials are coming in for mitsumata and ganpi, recently, even if there is demand, we cannot make paper. Therefore, we are also working on a project to cultivate it together. However, just because we are good at making paper, does not mean we are good at growing trees.

Considering such a background, our workshop developed a food-derived paper made from vegetables and fruits, 'Food Paper'.

That's quite a unique initiative. Can you tell us more about how you came to develop Food Paper?

Initially, I got the idea from my son's independent research project. My son had been researching making paper from food since he was in fourth grade.

The trigger to start thinking about productization was when I was participating in a course sponsored by Fukui Prefecture, and we were discussing whether we could come up with a product that would solve the problems inherent to washi-producing regions. When I mentioned my son's independent research, the expectation that it might be a savior for the raw material shortage grew, and we were able to turn it into a product in about six months.

Are there any differences in the papermaking process between regular washi and Food Paper?

The process is the same as regular papermaking. Food items are added during the papermaking process. It can be difficult with hard materials, but surprisingly, we can use almost anything like ginger, leeks, grapes, etc.

The color and smell of the paper vary depending on the food. For example, ginger tends to retain its scent. Also, the leeks change their finish depending on whether they are the green or white parts, and grapes can differ in color depending on the variety.

In fact, our workshop has been adding things like red beans or tea leaves during the paper-making process for many years. I believe that the completion of Food Paper was possible because of the century's worth of know-how we have as a papermaking workshop.

How are you planning to utilize Food Paper in the future?

In terms of immediate goals, we want to contribute to the reduction of food waste with Food Paper. Since it is not yet widespread, our first step is to promote Food Paper itself.

When people learn about Food Paper, many of them say things like, "That's helpful because I was struggling," or, "I was looking for such a way to utilize it," so we hope to increase its recognition and help reduce food loss.

If We Can Convey the Charm & Technique of Washi to the Next Generation, It Can Become a Global Pride

You mentioned that the number of workshops is decreasing, do you have any initiatives that you would like to undertake for the development of the production area?

I would like to create more opportunities for people to get to know Echizen washi and to have it in their hands. If the brand power becomes stronger, I believe that the number of people who will inherit traditional techniques will also increase.

In addition, I think it's important to pass on the skills while the active craftsmen are still healthy. Many craftsmen tend to keep their skills and know-how to themselves. Once a craftsman passes away, their technique is lost with them.

I understand the resistance of craftsmen who have long worked in the field to teaching the skills they have honed over years to others. However, in the long run, passing it on to the next generation will benefit the production area and become a treasure of Japan.

I have a vision of Echizen becoming a washi production area that the world can be proud of, by handing down current techniques even after a thousand years, or even two thousand years.

Regarding the issue of lack of successors, many people give up due to financial reasons. In fact, there are young people who want to open a washi workshop. However, to start a new workshop, you need to have a full set of necessary tools. As a result, it costs a lot of money.

Young people have creative ideas and motivation, so I think it would be great if such people could carry on the techniques, but that's easier said than done.

Are there any efforts by your union to solve these challenges?

Of course, the union is also trying to solve the challenges the production region is facing. One of the solutions proposed for the decline in craftsmen who create the mold for washi printing was to use a 3D printer. However, unlike ordinary molds, this does not allow for repairs, so it will take time to realize this.

Even if the union tries to address these issues, it is difficult to solve them all at once due to various problems such as a decrease in the number of union employees and a shortage of raw materials.

That being said, the existence of the union is truly appreciated, because we can buy raw materials thanks to the union.

Tell us about the future goals of Igarashi Washi.

We want people from all over the world to come to Echizen and be impressed by the washi we make. In order to get more people to hold our products in their hands, we are also planning to develop stationery products, starting with food paper.

While many older people are familiar with the goodness of washi, many young people don't even know the difference between washi and regular paper. We want to communicate its appeal and create something that younger generations will also appreciate and say, "I like this."

Indeed, there seem to be many things that you can't understand without actually experiencing it.

That's right. It's difficult to convey the charm of washi unless you actually visit the production area or talk directly. Therefore, I try to go out to various places. Most recently, we are planning to participate in an experiential market event called "RENEW", which will start on October 6.

Echizen is home to a number of traditional crafts like cutlery and lacquerware, as well as local industries like eyeglasses and textiles, all within a 10km radius. There are no other areas that have so many industries concentrated in such a small area. Taking advantage of this strength, at RENEW, all the workshops in the area will welcome visitors.

It's such a large event that some visitors come back year after year because they can't see everything in one day. We would like people from all over the country to come.

Our workshop does not have any age restrictions or reservations, and everyone is welcome. Of course, we welcome visitors to tour freely, and we would like even small children to experience papermaking.

In 2024, Echizen will be highlighted as the place related to Murasaki Shikibu in a historical drama, and the Hokuriku Shinkansen will be extended to Tsuruga. I would be delighted if more people could come to know about Echizen through these opportunities.

There may be an image that washi is a high-class product that is difficult to get your hands on, but that's not the case. There are many products that can be used casually, so I hope you will get to know a variety of products and use them regularly. I hope that the cycle of buying and using casually will become established and widely spread.