What is Mino Washi?

Mino Washi is a traditional Japanese handmade paper that has been crafted in the Mino region of Gifu Prefecture for over 1,300 years. Recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014, it is considered one of the finest papers in the world.

Made from the inner bark of the kozo (mulberry) plant, Mino Washi is prized for its exceptional strength, translucency, and delicate texture. Unlike machine-made paper, each sheet is formed by hand — a process that gives it a living quality, with subtle variations that make every piece unique.

Why I Choose Mino Washi

For me, Mino Washi is not simply a material — it is a collaborator.

When sumi ink meets its surface, something unexpected happens. The paper breathes. It absorbs, resists, and transforms the ink in ways that cannot be controlled or predicted. It is in this dialogue between hand, ink, and paper that my works are born.

What draws me most is the visible trace of kozo fibers left within the paper — delicate, irregular threads that catch the light and remind you that this surface was once alive. No two sheets are the same. That quiet presence of the fiber is, for me, an essential part of the work itself.

I choose Mino Washi because it carries within it the memory of Japanese craftsmanship — and because its imperfections are, to me, the most honest form of beauty.

— Yuriko Yuco Yoshikawa