Sekishu Washi paper represents Tsuwano's traditional crafts. Mr. Aoki not only is a washi craftsman, but he also grows his own garden of paper mulberry and mitsumata plants used for paper making. "In my days, everyone made washi as a supplementary job. Being a son of a farmer, it was a natural thing to do as soon as I finished school. I'm the 4th generation and am told that my ancestors made washi for the clan's feudal lord." According to Mr. Aoki, use of washi has become more versatile over the 40 years that he has been making the special paper.
We practice and learn everyday
"In the olden days, we were appreciated for making quality paper, but now we get all sorts of orders. People would want calligraphy paper that helps the ink spread, or they would want paper that does not suck too much ink. Some would want durable paper for light fixtures. It may look easy, but quality of washi changes according to the ingredients, ratio, and the method of processing," says Mr. Aoki as he draws white sticky bubbling water with a bamboo draining board and shuffles it left, right, front, and back. "No matter how long you've been doing this, you can never be satisfied with what you make. Everyday, you practice and learn because you want to make products that would be appreciated by customers."
