Papers used in Japanese calligraphy
Travis Taylor
<[email protected]>
Abstract
While within the conservation community there is a great appreciation of the materials used in Japanese calligraphy,
I have found that there isn’t available information concerning the types of papers used, terminology and reasons
artists choose certain materials over others. While having been fortunate enough to have studied Japanese
calligraphy and paper conservation it is the intent of this paper to outline these factors for those working in the
paper conservation field. As much of the information was gathered from my personal practice, and through
conversation with retailers and calligraphers, this is not intended to be an authorative treatise, rather a personal
account detailing the materials, papers and their uses.
Keywords: gampi, gasenshi, toushi, Japanese calligraphy paper, Japanese paper, kozo, mitsumata, senshi, shodo,
shuuji, soushokushi, washi.
Introduction
In the brief time that I have been involved in the
conservation profession I have noticed that although
there is an appreciation among conservators of Japanese
calligraphy, Shodo, there is a very limited knowledge of
the terminology, types of materials and artistic choices
that calligraphy artists employ in the creation of their
works. As a student of Shodo and a paper conservator,
it is my intent to provide a brief outline of all of these
factors for those working within the conservation profession. All foreign words are Japanese, unless otherwise
stated, and have been italicised in roman script; Japanese
characters are included where relevant. While there are
many papers available, this paper concentrates upon
those most commonly used. Much of the information
contained here has come from discussions with calligraphers in Japan and retailers of calligraphy papers, as well
as through personal experience using the materials.
Japanese calligraphy papers and terminology
Calligraphy has been a valued art form in Asia for
centuries. Paper and silk have been the two primary supports used for its expression. Understood as a method of
demonstrating the calligrapher’s skill, cultural refinement
and inner character, it is a melding of the written and
the visual: the meaning-laden words and aesthetic space,
negative and positive; the tension of the line or the bleeding of the ink; and importantly, the contrast between the
paper and the ink and the nuances of tone that can be
produced. While the artist will inevitably leave the traces
of their own inner character1, they will incorporate a
creative understanding of meaning into the script as well.
While it is possible to understand a work of calligraphy
either aesthetically alone or as a poem by the words alone,
the art of calligraphy attempts to meld the two together.
To these ends calligraphers choose their papers, inks and
brushes with great care, which has led to the great variety
of materials available today. Among the most popular
papers for Shodo are the Gasenshi papers, Kana papers,
Torinoko, various practice papers including the Toushi
papers. These different papers each provide different handling properties, while some are differentiated by other
factors of manufacture. Indeed, papers can be known by
various names according to where they are produced, the
ingredients, the thickness, size, the process of manufacture or decoration, the style of calligraphy that will be
done on them or by a name chosen by the retailer.
In executing calligraphic work in most styles other than
Kana2, the artist often aims to use the twin characteristics
of Nijimi (滲み), the bleeding of the ink, and Kasure (掠
れ), the dry, gestural brushing of the ink, as expressive tools
in the creation of their work, as well as the tone of the ink
upon the paper. This is a gross simplification; how­ever, in
terms of the relationship of the support to the media it is
important. One of the most popular types of paper is the
Gasenshi papers, whose absorptive quality, and the way in
which the tone of Nijimi is expressed in these papers, is one
of their defining characteristics and a reason for their popularity in the execution of Kanji Shodo3.
History
The history of calligraphy, Shodo (書道), in Japan is
intrinsically linked to China. Initially being without a
AICCM Bulletin Vol 30, 2007 51
script of their own, the Japanese adopted the Chinese
ideographic script in the Asuka (552–646AD) and Nara
periods (646–794AD). In Japanese these characters are
called Kanji. It was also at this time that papermaking
was introduced to the country. With the introduction of
the written language the Japanese adopted the five main
styles of Kanji Shodo that continue to be practised to this
day. Generally they are, from oldest in development to the
latest: Tensho (Seal script 添書), Reisho (Scribe script 隷
書), Kaisho (楷書 Block script), Gyosho (行書 Cursive
script) and Sosho (草書 Grass script). The application of
each of these styles can vary greatly between artists, from
characters with no Kasure or Nijimi and fine elegant lines,
to wildly gestural, explosions of ink on paper. There are
other styles, including the Edomoji4 styles that are unique
to Japan, and the influences of particular schools, Ryu
or Ha, that influence how a calligrapher will complete
a work. When writing in these styles, Japanese calligraphers often write sayings, poems or text from traditional
Chinese sources, while if they wish to use Japanese, they
have to incorporate some of Japan’s phonetic scripts:
Hiragana and Katakana.
Although the Japanese adopted the Chinese characters
they found the use of Kanji alone incompatible with the
grammatical structure of their language, so they developed
two phonetic scripts to accommodate the differences. These
two scripts, Hiragana and Katakana were developed out
of the simplifications and modifications of kanji characters
that takes place when writing in Sosho, Grass script, in the
Heian Period (794–1185), or through the modification of
the basic strokes of Kaisho in the case of Katakana. While
Hiragana is used for grammar and some words, Katakana
is usually reserved for foreign words and words that the
writer wishes to be read with strong emphasis.
As such, Japanese Shodo employs all of the styles of
Chinese calligraphy, as well as Hiragana-only Shodo, which
is termed Kana. As Kana was developed first by women
writing courtly poems and letters, the style and application
differ in that Kasure and Nijimi are avoided in favour of
fine, delicate lines often written on decorated papers, giving
the style the impression of feminine refinement.
Shodo papers in Japan can therefore be vaguely
divided into those used for Kanji Shodo, and those used
for Kana Shodo. While Kanji Shodo papers vary in effect
upon the ink, Kana Shodo papers are generally uniform
in requiring minimal Kasure or Nijimi, but they do vary
greatly in their manner of decoration or design. The list
of papers discussed below is simply an introduction to
some of the types of paper and is by no means complete.
Papers
Calligraphy papers have been composed of a wide
variety of fibre types, each type greatly affecting the
52
working properties of the final paper. While bast fibres
of Kozo, Gampi and Mitsumata are the most commonly
used in paper production, bamboo and rice straw were
also frequently added, while today, softwood pulp is frequently added to reduce cost and to emulate the effect of
rice straw and bamboo which are often time-consuming
in their processing.
Fibre selection is critical for the working properties
of the paper. The bast fibres provide a thin but strong
paper, and the addition of rice straw or bamboo causes
the ink to bleed smoothly, rapidly and with soft edges.
In paper composed mostly of bast fibres, the ink absorbs
more slowly, the ink edges are rougher and the ink tone
can appear dull and flat (Hori, 2002), while those of
mostly rice straw or bamboo are usually weak and prone
to discolour more easily with age. Pure bast fibre papers
are generally sized to help prevent an irregular bleeding of
the ink, and are best used for works that do not require
Nijimi, such as orthodox Kaisho script used in the transcription of Buddhist scriptures or when writing Kana.
When executing Kanji, Shodo calligraphers generally
appreciate a gentle bleeding of the ink with smooth edges,
showing the tone of the ink used, while at the same time
wanting the paper to be strong and long lasting.
Senshi (宣紙), pronounced Xuanzhi in Chinese,
papers have for the longest time been regarded in both
China and Japan as being of the highest quality and
most appropriate for making high-quality works of
Kanji calligraphy. Senshi papers, the papers that all
Gasenshi papers emulate, uses the comparatively short
bast fibres from the blue sandalwood tree (Pteroceltis
tatarinowii Maxim), originally sourced from Jing
County5 in Anhui Province, China. This tree does
not grow in Japan, forcing Japanese papermakers to
substitute the blue sandalwood with Gampi (雁皮
Diplomorpha canescen), Mitsumata (三椏 Edgeworthia
papyrifera) and Kozo (楮 Broussonetia papyrifera)
fibres mixed with rice straw or bamboo to produce a
paper that holds the ink in a similar fashion. In Japan
these papers are known as Gasenshi (画仙紙6) papers.
The increased usage of Gasenshi papers is linked
to the growing popularity through the Edo period
(1603–1867) of calligraphy employing Nijimi expressively (Hori, 2002). Japan had imported Senshi paper
from China, and produced its own Gasenshi papers,
but with WWII and the cessation of trade with China
until 1972, Japanese papermakers had to produce a
paper of equal quality to what had previously been
imported. Today, to avoid confusion between the
Japanese and Chinese papers, in Japanese the Chineseproduced paper is called Hongasen (本画仙7) or Senshi
(宣紙), and the Japanese called Wagasen8, and the
term Gasenshi can refer to paper from either country with similar working properties. However, some
paper retailers refer only to papers produced in Anhui
Province in China as Senshi, and all other Chineseproduced papers of this type as Hongasen. All of these
names are used in Japan, however, in China different
names and characters may be used when referring to
these papers.
The Toushi (唐紙9) group of papers, a cheaper bamboo paper produced in the south of China, was appreciated for its yellowish ‘aged’ paper appearance10, but certainly not for its rough surface, inability to display the
tone of the ink well or tendency to discolour with age.
While bamboo is the main ingredient, other fibres such
as rice, cotton stalk or paper mulberry are sometimes
added to increase the strength or handling properties
of the paper. This paper is generally produced in small
sheets and used for practice only; it is not considered a
high quality paper.
For executing works in Kana, a hard paper that
allows little or no Nijimi is preferred as the fine lines of
this style would otherwise be obscured or lost. The most
famous Kana paper is Torinoko11 (鳥の子) paper, made
from Gampi fibres, a smooth, glossy-surfaced paper.
Torinoko papers are often used with the paper having
been dyed with a printed design or with gold imprinted
upon the surface or other such decoration.
Balancing the types of fibres used in the paper critically
affects the working properties, and cost, of the resultant
paper, and as such many calligraphy papers manufactured
Table 1. Paper sizes
Romaji
Characters
Also known
as
Used for
Zenshi
全紙
Kanji
Hansetsu
半切
Kanji
Hanshi
半紙
Kanji & Kana
Rokushaku
六尺
Daigasen
Kanji
Goshaku
五尺
Chuugasen
Kanji
Yonshaku
四尺
Shougasen
Kanji
Renochi
聯落
Kaishi
懐紙
Hankaishi
Namihaba
Tanzaku
Hirohaba
Tanzaku
Shikishi
Kanji
Futokuroshi
Kana
半壊紙
Kana
並幅短冊
Kana
広幅短冊
Kana
色紙
Kanji & Kana
Mameshikishi
豆色紙
Kana
Hoshoshi
奉書紙
Kanji
today are composite-fibre papers, often incorporating
softwood pulp, manila hemp or other fibres to reduce the
cost of otherwise expensive fibre types.
Size, ply and location
Papers are sold in various plies and sizes, with the
standard traditional sizes often influencing the dimensions of the finished artwork. Traditional sizes for
producing calligraphy are usually halves, quarters or less
of the size of a traditional full sheet, which is called a
Zenshi (全紙) for Kanji papers, and Kaishi (懐紙) for
Kana papers. The main difference between papers used
for Kanji and Kana Shodo is that generally Kana Shodo
uses far smaller sheets, and papers that have been decorated. As such Kana Shodo generally is sold in Kaishi,
Hanshi and Tanzaku sizes, and while Kanji Shodo also
uses these sizes except for Kaishi, it is more likely to use
larger sizes such as Hansetsu, which is a common size
used in hanging scrolls. See Table 1 for more detail on
the sizes frequently sold and used.
Shodo papers can be produced in single, double and
triple ply, which is very common amongst the Gasenshi
papers. The plies are formed during manufacture when
layers of pulp are left to settle on the screen. Artists
choose varying thickness of paper depending on personal preference or the thickness of the ink being used.
A single-ply sheet is called Tansen (単宣), while a paper
formed from a layer of two sheets is called
Nisoushi (二層紙) or Kyousen (筴箋), and a
three-ply sheet is called Sansoushi (三層紙).
Size (mm)
Within Japan there are areas famous
for handmade paper production, the best1360 x 700
known areas are in Fukui Prefecture, Tottori
1360 x 350
Prefecture and Ehime Prefecture. Indeed,
papers produced in different regions of Japan
350 x 250
are named according to the region. The
names of these regions when used in relation
1800 x 960
to handmade paper, are the same as those
1500 x 800
used during the Edo period (1603-1867).
So, Tottori Prefecture is known as Inshu
1350 x 690
(因州), Fukui Prefecture is Echizen (越前),
1350 x 525
Ehime Prefecture is known as Iyo (伊予),
and Yamanashi Prefecture is Koushuu (甲
485 x 364
州). Other papermaking areas of production
242.5 x 364
are Kurotani in Kyoto Prefecture, Mino in
Gifu Pefecture and Sekishu from Shimane
364 x 61
Prefecture. While certain regions are famous
364 x 76
for producing certain types of paper, for
example Minogami from Gifu is a type of
182 x 213
Kozo-based paper used in Ukiyo-E printmaking, in many instances it only signifies
91 x 106
the region in which the paper was produced.
530 x 393
While there may appear to be a huge
53
number of paper manufacturers in Japan producing
a wide variety of Wagasen and other types of Shodo
papers, the number of handmade paper manufacturers
has been in steady decline. After the opening of Japan
to the West in 1868, Japanese mechanised papermaking began in 1874 (AJHWA, 1991). Initially as
demand increased handmade paper production also
increased, reaching a peak in 1901 when the government recorded 68,562 households making handmade
paper. However, since then there has been a gradual
replacement of traditional papers with western style
papers in many aspects of Japanese life, the importation of cheaper foreign produced handmade paper, and
the migration of young people away from the rural
areas that traditionally made paper to the cites has led
to a steady decline in handmade paper production.
Due to these changes there were only 392 households
involved in traditional handmade papermaking in 2001
(AJHWA website, 2007). This decline in numbers
of producers has also led to a decline in the number
of specialty papers produced. Currently, handmade
papermaking in Japan is concentrated in a handful of regions, of which Inshu, in Tottori Prefecture
and Echizen in Fukui Prefecture produce the largest
amount of handmade paper for calligraphy in Japan.
Kanji Shodo Papers
There is a wide variety of Kanji Shodo papers produced in China and Japan, each with differing handling
properties. While traditionally Kozo, Mitsumata, Gampi
and hemp fibres were used, frequently mixed with bamboo or rice straw, today there is an increased usage of
sulfite or recycled pulps, Manila hemp or other fibres to
cut the production costs. See Table 2 for descriptions of
some of the working properties of these papers.
Senshi
Originally, Senshi papers were produced from the
bast fibre of the blue sandalwood tree, although today
it is a mixed fibre paper also often containing rice
straw, other bast fibres such as paper-mulberry and
grasses. The most famous brands of Senshi is that produced by the Red Star company of Anhui Province.
Red Star Senshi is a smooth white paper, the ink bleeds
smoothly with both good Kasure and good Nijimi,
while the tones of the ink are easily appreciable. This
brand of Senshi is made from blue sandalwood fibres
mixed with rice straw, and paper mulberry fibres.
However, there are a wide variety of Chinese-produced
Senshi papers with a wide range of working properties
dependant on the quality and content of ingredients,
thickness and size.
54
Kozo
Kozoshi, also known as Choshi (楮紙) is made from
the bast fibres of the paper mulberry. Pure Kozo papers
are generally not used for Shodo unless sized, as the
long fibres make the bleeding uncontrollably rough
around the edges, and lighter inks appears dull and flat.
Hoshoshi (奉書紙), often produced in Fukui Prefecture,
is a Kozo paper traditionally used for formal documents and printmaking, although today some softwood
pulp is usually included. Other types of Kozoshi are
Sugiharagami from Hyogo Prefecture, Nishinouchi from
Ibaraki, Minoshi from Gifu and Senkashi from Ehime
Prefecture. These types of paper are best used for Kana
or for Kanji Shodo that doesn’t require Nijimi. Instead,
Kanji Shodo papers containing Kozo are more likely
made of a combination of rice straw, bamboo or pulp
and paper mulberry fibres in which the Nijimi bleeds
softly from the character leaving a halo.
Gampi
Gampi paper is famously known for its use as
Torinoko (鳥の子) paper, and with Kana Shodo.
Torinoko, which translates to ‘bird’s child’, is so named
because of its semi-transparent, egg-like surface. Gampi
papers are expensive as the bush is difficult to cultivate,
and has traditionally been sourced from wild growing plants (Morita, 2006). Ink on this paper does not
bleed easily and the paper is known to shrink and
wrinkle with water or heavy ink, hence making it more
appropriate for fine lines, such as with Kana or for
the transcription of Buddhist scriptures. Indeed, often
Buddhist scriptures traditionally were done on Torinoko
paper that had been treated with a dye from the inner
bark of the Kihada tree, which was thought to make it
more resistant to insect attack. Today it is graded by
the proportion of Gampi fibres in the paper. Torinoko
with added Kozo fibres is known as Hankusa-torinoko
(半草鳥の子), and Torinoko made of softwood pulp
instead of Gampi is called Shin-torinoko (新鳥の子12).
A more versatile Kanji Shodo paper is made by mixing
the Gampi fibres with hemp, rice straw or bamboo, often
producing a paper that is white, semi-transparent and
good for both Kasure and Nijimi. These mixed-fibre
Gampi Gasenshi papers suit the use of very dark ink, or
highly diluted light ink as they are good at showing the
tone of the ink, and so are also used in ink painting.
Mitsumata
In contrast to pure Kozo papers, pure Mitsumata
papers are very expensive, partly due to the time
required in cultivating the plant. Compared to paper
mulberry and Gampi the fibres of the Mitsumata have
only been used for a relatively short time, with the
earliest known usage being a letter dating from 1598
(Morita, 2006). It has a smoother, shinier surface
than the pure Gampi or Kozo papers and is naturally
a light-brown colour. Pure Mitsumata paper subtly
displays Nijimi far more effectively than the pure Kozo
or Gampi papers. The chain and laid lines are quite
clearly visible in this paper, and artists take advantage
of these lines by using slightly thinner ink. Gasenshi
papers made with mixing Mitsumata with rice straw
or bamboo, Mitsumata/Wara Gasenshi (三椏・藁　画仙紙), work well with diluted ink, and show Kasure
very well, although the amount of Nijimi is limited. It
shows dramatic and expressive use of the brush well,
and so this paper works well for large-character works.
Bamboo
Also known as Chikushi, these cheap papers which use
bamboo as the main ingredient are known as Toushi (唐
紙). Though they have a rough surface and tend toward
weakness and discolouration with age, they are appreciated for their yellowish paper appearance and ability to
show Kasure well. The natural colour of this paper is also
appreciated by Zen monks and by those producing calligraphy for tea ceremony rooms, known as Chagake (茶
掛). Toushi papers are rarely produced today due to the
migration of skilled workers away from the rural areas in
southern China that traditionally produced these papers.
The two most commonly used types of bamboo for making paper are Keichiku (桂竹) and the thick-stemmed
Mousouchiku (孟宗竹) (Morita, 2006), both of which are
sourced from southern China. Since Kasure comes out
beautifully in this paper it is suitable for single large characters, poem calligraphy, but not for Kana. More commonly bamboo is used in paper made by mixing it with
bast fibres such as Mitsumata, Gampi or Kozo.
Hemp
There are also papers produced of hemp, or with a
mixture of hemp and rice straw and are known as Mashi
(麻紙). However, in Japan any paper made with hemp,
flax, or jute will be refered to as a hemp paper. Hemp
papers, Asa Gasenshi (麻　画仙紙), are quite thick with
a low sheen. Their fibres are comparatively short as they
have been heavily beaten. This hemp-based paper displays
the tone and colour of the ink very well, and is often used
in ink painting. Other Gasenshi papers are made with
hemp, often mixed with rice straw, Igusa rushes (藺草)
and Mitsumata. Although weaker than other Japanese
papers this paper provides excellent Nijimi and Kasure
and is best for large-character Kanji Shodo.
Kana Shodo papers
Undecorated Kana Shodo papers
While any paper could be used for Kana calligraphy,
the particular requirement of the paper not bleeding
easily so as to show the fine strokes of this style, and
the tradition of using decorated papers has led to the
creation of specific papers for Kana calligraphy. Ryoushi
papers (料紙) are commonly used with Kana calligraphy, and can be made from a wide variety of ingredients,
such as Kozo, Mitsumata, Gampi, hemp and sulphite
softwood pulp. They were traditionally sized with
Dousa, a mixture of alum and gelatine, or coated with
a mix of Gofun (胡粉), a ground shell calcium carbonate mixture, and gelatine. Today, many of the papers
are composite fibre papers that are internally sized with
rosin, gelatine, starch or modified cellulose. Torinoko
paper is the most famous Kana paper, and is also often
decorated, although there are other types of undecorated
Kana papers, including those using imported Thai Kozo
fibres, or mixtures of rice straw and softwood pulp.
Decorated Kana Shodo papers
Within Kana calligraphy there is a long tradition of
using decorated papers, dating back to the Heian period,
when poetry and letters written on highly decorated
papers were used by courtiers and courtly ladies. This
was at the time when the Kana script was being developed, and the accepted norms of Kana Shodo popularised. There are a number of traditions for dyeing and
decorating papers, of which I will discuss a few. See
Table 3 for descriptions of some of these papers.
Papers are frequently dyed, and are known as
Senshokushi (染色紙). When dyed with a brush they
are Hakezome (刷毛染), or through dipping the paper
Hikizome (引染) or Tsukezome (漬染). Traditionally,
organic dyes from sources such as roots or barks were
used, although today synthetic dyes are used. As well
as to add colour, papers were dyed to perfume it or to
protect from insect attack, depending upon the dye
used. Traditional organic dyes have included purple
extracted from the secretions of a sea snail, purple from
the roots of the Murasaki grass, yellow from the bark of
the Kihada tree and browns made from the ground perfumed barks of sandalwood or aloeswood trees.
Decorated papers can be created by adding differently dyed fibres in the process of forming the sheet.
As the sheet is being pulled, fibres dyed with indigo or
Murasaki grass root are added to the screen and manipulated to form patterns. These papers are sometimes
referred to as Senizomesoshokushi (繊維染装飾紙).
Usually blue or purple fibres are added as a final layer
when forming an otherwise white sheet and they would
be mixed to form patterns such as of clouds, waves,
55
Table 2. Paper types
Romaji
Japanese
Ingredients
Comments
Senshi
宣紙
Blue Sandalwood,
rice straw, bamboo
Jun Kozo
純楮
Kozo (Paper
mulberry)
Kozo Gasenshi
楮画仙紙
Kozo, rice straw,
bamboo
A Chinese produced smooth white paper which displays Nijimi and
Kasure beautifully. Used for Kanji Shodo only.
See notes
Displays Nijimi poorly, and is therefore used sized. Famous types
of Choshi are Hoshougami and Minogami. The paper is used for
formal writing, Kanji Shodo with no Nijimi and transcribing Buddhist
scriptures.
A paper with excellent Nijimi and Kasure. The Nijimi bleeds out softly,
leaving a halo around the characters. Used for Kanji Shodo.
Honsousen
本草箋
Kozo, pulp
Gampi Gasenshi
雁皮　画仙紙
Gampi, rice straw,
bamboo
Gampi/Asa
Gasenshi
雁皮/麻　画
仙紙
Gampi/hemp
A white semi-transparent paper that is good for both Kasure and
Nijimi, it suits the use of very dark ink, or highly diluted light ink.
Torinoko
鳥の子
Gampi
A paper known for being poor at Nijimi. Traditionally it was used for
the hand copying of Buddhist sutras as it was felt to be less likely to
discolour or be attacked by insects. It shrinks and wrinkle with water
or with a heavy application of ink; hence it is best used for works
with fine strokes, such as letters, copying scriptures and Kana Shodo.
A natural light brown colour, this paper subtly diplays Nijimi far
more effectively than the pure Kozo or Gampi papers. Used for Kanji
Shodo.
This paper works well with diluted ink, and shows Kasure very well,
although the amount of Nijimi is limited. It shows dramatic and
expressive use of the brush well. As such, this paper works well for
large character works.
The Kasure is very nice in this paper. This paper is suitable for single
large characters, poem calligraphy, but not for Kana.
Jun Mitsumatashi 純三椏紙
Mitsumata
This paper is rather poor at displaying Nijimi, but excellent when used
to display Kasure. This paper is also sometimes known as Kana you
Gasenshi (仮名用画仙紙), literally meaning ‘Gasenshi you can use
with Kana’ as it is best used with thinner lines.
This yellowish paper absorbs the ink slowly. Darker ink is generally
used as lighter ink can appear flat and be hard to see clearly.
Mitsumata
Gasenshi
三椏画仙紙
Mitsumata, rice
straw, bamboo
Chikushi
竹紙
Bamboo
Toushi
唐紙
Bamboo
A light brown paper often used for practice that is best used with a
dark ink. Used for Kanji Shodo.
Asa Gasenshi
麻　画仙紙
Hemp
Ryoushi
料紙
Pulp, various
This paper is quite thick with a low sheen. Its fibres are comparatively
short as they have been heavily beaten. The Nijimi and Kasure are
both good with this paper. This paper displays the tone and colour of
the ink very well, and is often used in ink painting.
These papers are sized papers that are used for Kana Shodo. These
papers are frequently decorated.
smoke or simply dots (Iwano, 2006).
Papers in which designs have been printed with
crushed mica or pigments that have been mixed with
gelatine or Gofun13 are called Karakami (唐紙14), as they
were first imported from China, although today they are
made in Japan. Paper of this type, not using mica or pigments, is called Karazurigami (空摺紙) and is embossed
with the design. Karakami papers are also known as
Kouzeigami (行成紙), named after the famous Japanese
poet Fujiwara Kouzei (972–1027), who used a similar paper to write his poetry on. Common designs are
of cranes in flight, bamboo, geometric designs, waves,
clouds etc. Although resist methods of dyeing are used
with paper, they are not commonly used with calligraphy papers.
Papers that have been decorated with gold and/or
56
silver leaf are called Kinginsoushokushi (金銀装飾紙)
(Morita, 2006). The gold or silver leaf can be applied
to the paper cut into pieces or shapes, Kirihaku (切箔),
fine strands, Noge (野毛), or a fine powder, Sunago (砂
子). Kinsengami (金潜紙) and Ginsengami (銀潜紙)
are papers in which a very thin layer of gold or silver has
been applied and appears to sink under the surface of
the paper. And with Kirarahari (雲母張り) the surface
has been coated with a mixture of mica and adhesive
over the entire surface.
Papers that have been cut or torn and rejoined for
decorative effect are called Tsugigami paper (継紙)
(Morita, 2006). Depending upon whether the pieces
have been torn, cut, or overlapped to form gradations in
colour, the paper will be termed differently. A famous
example of Tsugigami is the Sanjurokuninshu (三十六人
Table 3. Decorated papers
Technique
Paper
Japanese
Comment
Senshokushi
Konshi
紺紙
A blue paper dyed with indigo.
Senshokushi
Murasakishi
紫紙
A purple paper dyed with the roots of the Murasaki
grass
Senshokushi
Dabishi
荼毘紙
Senizomesoushokushi
Uchigumo
打曇
Senizomesoushokushi
Tobigumo
飛雲
Senizomesoushokushi
Mizutamagami
水玉紙
Karakami
Karakami
唐紙
Karakami
Kouzeigami
行成紙
Karakami
Karazurigami
空摺紙
A perfumed paper made with the ground bark of the
Aloeswood or Sandalwood
Purple fibres are added and mixed to the top and
bottom of a sheet to form cloud patterns
Blue and purple fibres are mixed to form cloud patterns
within the sheet
Paper on which a thin layer of blue fibres has been
lifted and then onto which water has been dropped to
reveal the which preceding layers of fibres underneath
Papers in which designs have been printed with crushed
mica or pigments that have been mixed with gelatine or
calcium carbonate.
A Gampi paper dyed either blue or yellow and then
printed with a design in Mica.
A paper with an embossed deisign.
Karakami
Monirigasen
紋入画仙
Kinginsoushokushi
Kirihaku
切箔
On this paper the rooftile ends design has been
woodblock printed
Paper with applied cut pieces of gold or silver leaf.
Kinginsoushokushi
Noge
野毛
Paper with applied fine strands of gold or silver leaf.
Kinginsoushokushi
Sunago
砂子
Paper with applied fine powder of gold or silver leaf.
Tsugigami
Kiritsugigami
切継紙
Tsugigami
Yaburitsugigami
破継紙
Pieces of paper have been cut and joined, and have
straight or curved edges.
Pieces of paper have been torn and rejoined.
Tsugigami
Kasanetsugigami
重継紙
首) poetry anthology kept at NishiHonganji Temple in
Kyoto dating from the Heian period.
Conclusion
While this paper has discussed many kinds of
papers, and their contents, creation, decoration and
working properties, this is by no means a conclusive
list of all that is, and has been, available to Shodo artists. It is merely an introduction to some of the papers
that have been produced, and the types of aesthetic
demands, both in appearance and in handling, that
Shodo artists place on paper manufacturers. The long
tradition of Shodo paper manufacture has led to the
creation of a large number of specialized papers, to the
wide variety of artistic choices made by calligraphers.
While within Japanese Shodo the two streams of Kanji
and Kana require different types of paper, one focusing upon the varying effect of the ink on the paper, the
other requiring a smooth stable surface for delicate
lines and a greater emphasis upon the decoration of
Pieces of paper have been joined to overlap to give
gradations in colour.
the paper, both types involve specialised fibre selection
and manufacture to determine the working properties
of the finished product. Paper manufacturers therefore
are involved in balancing the types of fibres and their
processing to produce papers that meet the artistic
demands of artists, as neither a pure non-sized bast
fibre paper nor non-bast fibre paper meets the requirements of calligraphers. With Kana papers, the decoration and the subtlety they can bring to a work are
many. It is this balance of fibre types and decoration
and the effects they can bring that has led to the great
number of papers available today.
Acknowledgments
This work would have not been possible without
the time and patience of my teachers Kazuko Saito
and Shingo Nozao, the staff at Sankosha, Chugoku
Bussanten, Sugiharashoten, Inshuya shop manager Mr
Koshiba, Iwano Heizaburo Seishisho, Kamiji Kakimoto,
David Dai, Liang Louie, the Centre for Cultural
57
Materials Conservation, Jude Fraser and Louise Wilson
and Tomomi Nakazawa.
5
References
6
All Japan Handmade Washi Association (AJHWA) Handbook
on the Art of Washi, Wagami-do, Tokyo, 1991.
All Japan Handmade Washi Association (AJHWA) Website:
Accessed 2007 <http://www.tesukiwashi.jp> (in Japanese).
Boudonnat, L, Kushizaki, H (2003) Traces of the brush: the Art
of Japanese Calligraphy, Chronicle Press, San Francisco.
Hori, H (2002) Gasenshi Tsukaikonashi Handobukku,
Kanariya, Tokyo
Chen, G, Saito, K, Inaba, M (2003) ‘Traditional Chinese
Papers, their Properties and Permanence’. Restaurator, vol.
24, no. 3, pp. 135–44.
Iwano, Heizaburo Echizen Washi, viewed 2006, <http://www.
wanogakkou.com/culture/040000/040200_wasi.html> (in
Japanese).
Masuda, K (1985) ‘Japanese Paper and Hyogo’, The Paper
Conservator, vol. 9.
Morita, Y, ‘The many applications of washi’ <http://www.kippo.
or.jp/culture/washi/appli/>, viewed 2006 (in Japanese).
Morita, Y, ‘Questions about washi’, <http://www.washiya.
com/faq.html>, viewed 2006 (in Japanese).
Mullock, H (1995) ‘Xuan paper’, The Paper Conservator, vol. 19.
Shimizu, Y, Rosenfield, JM (1984) Masters of Japanese
calligraphy: 8th–19th century (Naomi Noble Richard, ed.)
Asian Society Galleries, Japan House, New York.
Yeh, B, Munn, J (2005) ‘An evaluation of Xuan paper
permanence and discussion of historical Chinese
papermaking materials’, Proceedings of the second Forbes
Symposium at the Freer Gallery of Art, Scientific research on
the pictorial arts of Asia, eds Paul Jett, John Winter and
Blythe McCarthy, Archetype Publications Ltd.
Endnotes
1 墨跡 Literally ‘ink traces’ but meaning the character or
personality of the writer.
2 One of the phonetic Japanese alphabets that when
written calligraphically is known for its fine, delicate
strokes upon well sized paper.
3 Kanji are the Chinese characters used in Japanese. Due to
the simplifications of these characters in mainland China
and Japan, they are at times different today, although not
always indistinguishable.
4 These styles are often used in relation to sumo, kabuki,
58
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
bunraku, sushi and other uniquely Japanese cultural
practices.
Previously known as Xuan (宣) County, thus giving the
paper its name.
‘Picture paper from Sen’. It is also written as雅宣紙、画
宣紙、雅仙紙、雅箋紙、画箋紙 and is abbreviated
to Gasen and can be written as 画箋, 画宣, 雅仙, 雅箋
or 雅宣.
It is also sometimes written as 本画箋、本画宣-. The
Hon character (本) indicates that it is genuine or original,
meaning the paper is from the original source of Gasenshi
papers: China.
和画仙紙- ‘Japanese Picture Paper from Sen’. The Wa
(和) meaning Japanese.
The most common being 一番唐紙(Ichibantoushi),
although there is also 白唐紙（Hakutoushi）, 二番唐
紙 (Nibantoushi） and others. The name signifies the
Chinese origin of the paper as the first character is the
same as the Tang Dynasty of China.
For the imitation of the classics of calligraphy.
Literally ‘bird’s child’ and refers to the colour of the paper
being like that of eggshell.
Literally ‘New Torinoko”
Gofun is a white pigment made by heating and pulverising
sea shells. It was traditionally used as a coating for paper
when mixed with animal glue.
While these are the same characters as Toushi papers the
pronunciation is different, although with both papers
the characters refer to the Tang Dynasty of China from
which they are supposedly originated from. Papers that
are decorated in this way are used to decorate sliding
doors in traditional houses.
Biography
Travis Taylor graduated with an MA from the
University of Melbourne (2005) in Cultural Materials
Conservation, specializing in works on paper. Prior to that
he had completed a BFA at the Victorian College of the
Arts in printmaking (1996), and had studied Japanese calligraphy with Kazuko Saito of the Mainichi Shodoten in
Kyoto, Japan (2001–03). He has completed an internship
at the Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation (2006–
07). His professional interests include the treatment and
material properties of oriental paper-based works, and has
additionally been conducting research into crystal growth
upon an early 20th century Australian watercolour.