Washi Papermaking in Gokayama

Gokayama washi is a handmade paper produced from kozo bast fibers and a thickening agent called neri, which gives the finished sheets their supple texture and durability. During the Edo period, it was made exclusively for the ruling Kaga domain and often used for local currency. Today artists still seek it out for woodblock printing, painting, and lantern making. At the Gokayama Washi no Sato, visitors can join a papermaking workshop and produce a simple item in about 20 minutes, working with the same materials that have been used in these mountain villages for centuries.