[Paper Museum, Keijusha Washi Bunko]

Yatsuomachi in Toyama City is the site of the nationally known folk song event "Owara Kaze no Bon Festival," which is held every autumn. 300 years of songs and dances have been passed down through the generations, and the elegant and emotional dance is enjoyed by some 200,000 people over the three days from September 1 every year. The stone-paved streets lined with lattice doors and storehouses in the center of the town retain the appearance of the Edo period by unifying the colors and shapes of ordinary houses, and were selected as one of the "100 Best Streets in Japan" in 1986.

Keijusha is the only workshop that carries on the tradition of Yatsuo washi, which has been passed down from generation to generation in this area. In addition to manufacturing washi, Keijusha is also the driving force behind the creation and popularization of katazome washi, which is dyed paper produced using katazome dyeing. On a recent business trip to Toyama, we were able to visit the "Washi Bunko" facility adjacent to the Keijusha.

The wooden building, with an impressive curtain dyed with the word "紙 (paper)," has a tiled roof, white walls, and large windows with calm-colored wooden frames. Just looking at the building, one feels a sense of nostalgia, perhaps because it was moved from a branch of an elementary school that once stood in the mountains. The solid beams to withstand the snowfall and thick pillars at key points in the structure, which is unique to the snowy region, give a sense of the deep snowy nature of Toyama. When you step into the building, you will feel as if you are in an old elementary school. The sight of children running around the corridors and stairs reminded me of the old wooden school building I used to attend.

Here, visitors can see collections collected from around the world under the theme of "paper," paper products made from Japanese paper as daily necessities, and a variety of folk art from around the world. Each room, which used to be a classroom, is furnished with exhibits based on a different theme. Visitors can see the development process of paper, including papyrus made around 1000 BC, scriptures such as the Bible and the Koran, and beautifully written sheet music The exhibits seemed to convey the strong desire of the people who lived in those days to use paper as a medium to disseminate information to the world at large and to deliver it to the future beyond the boundaries of time. Among the exhibits were many materials related to Japanese folk art, such as "Teshigoto no Nihon" by Muneyoshi Yanagi and "Kogei" magazine, as well as furnishings collected based on the folk art aesthetic. Each of the carpets, chairs, desks, and shelves had a solid beauty, which seemed to create the dignified atmosphere of this space.

In the Washi Bunko, visitors can learn not only the history of paper, but also how paper has greatly influenced and contributed to the development of people's lives in a quiet and rich space. Why not take a walk and enjoy the scenery of Yatsuomachi in each of the four seasons and feel the fresh breeze blowing along the river?

Keijusha Washi Bunko
https://keijusha.com/washibunko/
Keijusha's Tesuki Washi
https://www.shokunin.com/en/keijusha/tesuki.html
Keijusha's Kaishi
https://www.shokunin.com/en/keijusha/kaishi.html

References
https://www.toyamashi-kankoukyoukai.jp/?tid=100167
https://www.info-toyama.com/attractions/11054
『民藝の教科書⑤ 手仕事いろいろ』久野恵一監修