【Report by the foreigner who knows Ayabe well.】
Name of facility : Kurotani Washi Cooperative Association Visit date : 2020/8/5 Visitor name : Sazonov Maxim
There is a shop where you can buy Japanese paper products that you can use it daily such as a card case. It would be good as a souvenir or present.
We visited Kurotani village, where Japanese traditional paper Washi has been manufacturing for more than 800 years.
Visiting Kurotani Washi factory was very meaningful and interesting.
If you make a reservation, you will be able to experience traditional Japanese culture, paper making. It would be your unforgettable memory. You can make an original paper since the final product will be different depending on the amount of force and coloring.
We learned in detail about the manufacturing process of Washi.
From the first step, harvest mulberry to the completion of Washi.
I was glad to visit a factory and hear explanation of each step of paper manufacturing from Washi craftsman.
Number of Japanese paper craftsman is declining but traditional techniques have been passed down for generations while things have changed to meet modern needs. The procedure for manually processing from raw materials to final products is the same.
Actual postcard making experience was great and very interesting too.
I think making postcards would be great experience.
The staff was very kind and polite.
They explained all process of Washi making and experience and answered every question.
At the Kurotani Washi Kaikan, there are huge tub which is used for steaming the raw material mulberry, documents about Kurotani Japanese paper and products. You can learn history and techniques which have been passed down for over 800 years.
I think it will be a very interesting experience for tourists from overseas.
Washi is recognized as an Intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO and well known in the world as one of symbols of Japan.
Kurotani Japanese paper is handmade by craftsmen. It is durable and can be use for long time so it is used to restore the shoji screens of Nijo Castle and the sliding doors of Manshuin. In 1983, it was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of Kyoto Prefecture.
The museum was also very interesting and you can see there a various things made from Japanese paper.
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▼Visitor profileーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
Sazonov Maxim
From Russia, came to Japan in 2018.
He likes to visit countryside in Japan and interested in Japanese culture and history.
His hobbies are Japanese martial arts (Jodo) and to do calligraphy.
