Echizen Special Selection Painting Paper The preservation condition is very good, with no stains. This is antique paper from over 25 years ago. A watermark logo mark is present at the bottom of the half-cut paper. It is slightly thicker than regular paper. Recommended for final drafts!! Echizen washi is Japanese paper made in Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture, and is counted as one of the three major Japanese papers along with Mino washi and Tosa washi. While various environments have changed over time, it has been produced using the same processes for over several centuries without changing the raw materials or manufacturing methods. The manufacturing process of Echizen washi is very extensive and made using the bark of plants. Strong paper is made by soaking the raw material bark in water and boiling it to remove impurities. Furthermore, the technique of craftsmen is important in the process of beating the fibers finely and making them into paper. Careful and faithful work is required in the drying and finishing stages, and the high skills of the craftsmen make it possible to create the original beautiful and smooth washi. What is important for papermaking is clean water. In the Echizen City Goka district (Furo, Otaki, Iwamoto, Shinzai, Sadatomo), the home of Echizen washi, washi workshops line up around the clear stream of the Okamoto River. In the upper reaches of the Okamoto River, in the Otaki district, there is the Okata Shrine and Otaki Shrine, where the "God of Paper" is enshrined. Echizen washi has a history of 1500 years. The oldest paper made in Echizen that remains is the Echizen Province Shozei Account of the Shosoin. According to recent research, this paper is made primarily from kozo (paper mulberry) using the accumulation method, and is highly regarded for its quality. Echizen washi is also deeply connected to the history of banknotes. There are many surprising and interesting topics, such as "The first nationwide currency in Japan was Echizen washi," "The God of Echizen washi was enshrined in the Printing Bureau," "Watermarks are a technique of Echizen washi," and "The relationship between Ryoma Sakamoto and banknotes." The watermark technology of Echizen washi has elevated Japan's banknote manufacturing technology to a world-class level due to its high technical capabilities. I think it's something that is hard to come by these days. #AntiquePaper #Handmade #SpecialMade #HalfCut #KozoPaper #EchizenSpecialSelectionPaintingPaper #EchizenWashi #OkataShrine/OtakiShrine