Carrying Mino Washi Into the Next Millennium—Marujyu Paper Mill's Challenge of "Updating Tradition"

2026.01.14

#Artisan

#Craftsman

#Gifu

#Mino Washi

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#History

Fukui Yougasa's Quest for "The World's Most Considerate Umbrella"

#Traditional Crafts

Living 'Fueki Ryuko': The Present State of Nisshin Kikinzoku, Inheritors of a 400-Year Edo Silversmithing Legacy

Mino Washi boasts a 1,300-year history. But one artisan, while shouldering this immense legacy, is already looking toward the next era. He is Koichi Tsuji, the third-generation head of the Marujyu Paper Mill Cooperative in Mino City, Gifu Prefecture. Having inherited the factory his grandfather founded post-war, Tsuji is an entrepreneur committed to rebuilding the washi industry. "Tradition can't survive if we only focus on protecting it," he states quietly, a firm resolve in his eyes.

PROFILE

Koichi Tsuji

His mission: "To revitalize Mino and washi paper."
He is the Representative Director of the Marujyu Paper Mill Cooperative, his family's machine-made Mino Washi manufacturing business. In 2019, he opened the specialty washi shop Washi-nary, which is directly managed by the company.
His other ventures include establishing Mino Machiya Inc. to run the traditional folk house hotel NIPPONIA Mino Shoka Machi, and establishing Mino Sharing Inc. to operate the shared office WASITA MINO. He also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Mino City Tourism Association and the NPO Earth as Mother Gifu.
Tsuji aims to build a "sustainable and locally-circulating symbiotic community" in Mino City.

For Me, Mino Washi Is a "Letter of Challenge"

"For me, Mino Washi is like a letter of challenge. From the moment I took over the family business my grandfather started, I've felt like it's been daring me, saying, 'Let's see what you can do with me.'"

Marujyu Paper Mill was founded in 1951 by Tsuji's grandfather. It was a cooperative formed by local artisans who pooled their capital to transition from handmade to machine-made paper. As paper demand boomed post-war, the company thrived by producing base paper for lanterns and mimeographs. Later, their main products shifted to base paper for kaishi (pocket paper), packaging for insect repellents, and even base paper for washi stationery. But the changing times were relentless. Sales of most major products declined year after year. Non-woven fabric replaced their insect repellent packaging, and the COVID-19 pandemic only accelerated the drop in sales.

"Honestly, I've thought about quitting many times. But I just can't let it end like this. There's still so much hope. For me, Mino Washi is something I can't run away from."

Tsuji smiles calmly as he speaks, but his words carry a core of strength. The phrase "letter of challenge" encapsulates the years he has spent earnestly confronting his relationship with the land of Mino.