From Raw Material to Fiber: The Meticulous Preparatory Work

The entire washi-making process begins with preparing the plant-based raw materials. The primary materials are the bast fibers of plants like *kōzo* (paper mulberry), *mitsumata*, and *ganpi*. First, the harvested branches are steamed, and their outer bark is stripped away. This stripped bark is then carefully sorted by hand into three layers: the outermost black bark (*kurokawa*), the green layer beneath it (*amakawa*), and the innermost white fiber layer used for papermaking, known as *shirokawa*.

Next, the *shirokawa* is boiled in an alkaline solution, such as soda ash or caustic soda. This step, called *shajuku* (boiling), is done to soften the fibers and remove impurities that bind them together. Through this process, the raw material is refined into the pure fibers suitable for making paper.