Once used for everything from writing paper to umbrellas and clothing, sekishu washi is a type of traditional Japanese paper made from paper mulberry trees in the Iwami region of Shimane prefecture. Thought to have been produced locally for around 1,300 years, the paper is durable and long-lasting – features that during the Edo period (1603–1867) made it a sought-after commodity for government officials, merchants and other professions in which record-keeping played a key role.
This exhibition at the Iwami Art Museum, a part of the Shimane Arts Center in Masuda, explores the illustrious history and intriguing present of sekishu washi, which is still made in the local area, albeit on a much smaller scale than centuries ago. Today, the paper is used for purposes such as creating costumes for traditional performances and repairing the interiors of centuries-old castles around the country.
Recognised by Unesco as part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, sekishu washi is an embodiment of the culture of Iwami, a place where traditions that have fallen by the wayside in many other parts of Japan still endure. The exhibition highlights this legacy through 100-year-old pieces of paper, paper-making tools, textiles and other historical artefacts, as well as contemporary artworks created using sekishu washi following an exhibition at the same museum in 2016.
