1-day Japanese washi paper craftsman course in Kochi

In this immersive experience you will become a craftsman for a day at Tosawashi Inoue Tesuki Kobo atelier and will learn the basic steps of making quality Tosa washi paper. After arriving, you will be welcomed by Mrs Inoue, the current 4th generation washi maker and will watch a video explanation of Tosa washi, focusing on the traditional handmade techniques and natural ingredients from Niyodo River basin. The experience will follow the steps of washi paper making starting from peeling the bark of kozo (paper mulberry), boiling the bark and preparing the gluing paste from the roots of tororoaoi (sunset hibiscus). During the breaks Mrs Inoue will introduce traditional art techniques that use Japanese washi paper such as “chigiri-e”. After a couple of hours of immersive craftsmanship you will have a break for a lunch and your guide will recommend a nearby local restaurant with a rich menu of Kochi delicacies. Continuing in the afternoon, you will wash off the kozo, remove any impurities from the soft bark and beat it with a wooden stick. The culmination will be using the pulp you created to make washi postcards and paper through two different techniques – nagashizuki and tamezuki.