"Edo Karakami" is a traditional Japanese art paper used for Fusuma (sliding doors) and wallpaper, which has adorned the merchant culture since the Edo period. Tokyo Matsuya is a long-established Washi (Japanese paper) wholesaler and publishing house that has been in business for 330 years in Higashi Ueno.
The 18th generation, Rihei Ban, played a pivotal role in reviving Edo Karakami, which was lost due to the rise of machine-made Washi and machine-printed production in the post-war era. Furthermore, to solve the successor problem, he established his own workshop as a publisher. Together with craftsperson Takasugi, who manages the workshop, we will hear about the charm of "Edo Karakami" and their efforts for the future.
PROFILE
Left: Rihei Ban, Right: Yuya Takasugi
Rihei Ban
Born in 1940. 18th generation of Tokyo Matsuya. He has been challenging the revival of traditional hand-made washi and Edo Karakami, publishing a pattern book titled "彩" in 1992 containing 393 items. He is committed to the preservation and succession of Edo Karakami techniques.
Yuya Takasugi
Born in 1980. An Edo Karakami artisan. He joined Tokyo Matsuya at the age of 24. After learning skills as a craftsman at the Tokyo Hyougu Naiso Vocational School (東京表具内装職業訓練校), he now serves as the supervisor of their workshop.
Techniques from the Heian Period Continue into Modern Times
Please tell us about your company's history.
Ban Tokyo Matsuya is a publishing house and wholesaler of Edo Karakami. We manufacture, sell, and wholesale Washi interior materials for Fusuma and wallpaper.Founded in the 3rd year of Genroku in Edo, this year marks our 336th anniversary. Due to numerous fires, very few records remain. Each time a disaster struck, we wrapped our treasures—our protected Buddha statue, past register, and memorial tablets—in a Furoshiki (wrapping cloth) and fled to Ueno Mountain. I am now the 18th generation according to these cherished artifacts.
Initially, the founder Ihei Matsuya began as a book planning and publishing company, which after three generations evolved into a paper shop. During this change, Ihei took on the name Rihei, and since then, the name "Rihei Matsuya" has been inherited through generations. This area is a temple town, so we have operated as a specialty store handling materials used by craftsmen for Shoji (sliding rice paper doors), Fusuma, and decorative fabrics for hanging scrolls, including Kinran & Donsu (金襴・緞子), Fusuma-bone (襖榾), Fuchi (椽), and Kazari Kanagu Hikite (錺金具引手).
Please tell us about the history of Edo Karakami.
Ban It dates back to the Heian period. The paper used (詠草料紙, "Eiso Ryoshi") was domestic Washi decorated to imitate the pattern papers brought over from the Northern Song dynasty. This beautiful paper was used by nobles to write Yamato poetry. Initially, it was used for partitions and folding screens in noble households, later its use transitioned to Fusuma.Karakami that developed in Kyoto made its way to Edo in the early Edo period. Fires frequently occurred in Edo, a city of one million, leading to a high demand for fusuma, which allowed the Karakami industry to flourish. Historical records show that there were more than ten craftsmen at that time. Edo Karakami was stylish and favored by townspeople. Patterns featuring motifs such as sparrows and vegetation, which convey simplicity and a sense of the seasons, were cherished.
During the Meiji and Taisho periods, as the paper-making techniques improved, the Fusuma paper became larger, and the Edo Karakami woodblocks followed suit, allowing for larger and more generous patterns to be created.
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