In Japan, June is the monthe in which most areas of Japan experience the rainy season. The heavy rainfall continues for about one month. It is also the season that is most challenging to create washi due to the increase in humidity and higher temperatures causing difficulties to drying the papers. This is not to say that you cannot create washi during the rainy season. Some of the processes involved in creating washi are changed to accomodate the weather. Because making paper is not the only work that must be done (for example: creating all the products that must be used in papermaking), one has to use the summer time to the best of one’s abilities as not to waste time.
After June, when the rainy season ends, it becomes very hot. When the heat and sunlight are at their peak, this is when the finished washi paper is sorted out, inspected, and eventually used for the finished product. This is also the time to wash the special drying boards. This ensures that the drying boards are clean of dirt and debris.
The drying boards are the most important pieces in the washi making process. The drying boards are made of wood and have a coarse surface that easly attracts dirt. To ensure the high quality of washi paper, they are washed repeatedly until all dirt and debris are removed and washi paper are
Many people may not realize this, but it is the most important step to create the unique texture and appearance that washi paper possess. The drying boards are the foundation of washi paper making. The same drying boards are passed down from generation to generation. Even though physically, the boards may change from years of usage, the history of washi makers are engraved in these drying boards.
In the end, washi paper making is not just a matter of finishing and completing the job, but of creating harmony between the environment and the job that must be completed.This concept is, indeed, very Japanese. To some, it may seem tedious, but for me, it is an honor to carry on this beautiful tradition.
