Making Japanese paper(Washi)-3:Mental aspects of papermaking(3/3)
the core of paper-making(Girder and drainboard):all I myself made.
Mr. Tetsuo Tange(哲夫 丹下), a manufacturer of Bi-neutralized paper in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, is a very famous master of Washi . It is said that many painters and calligraphers have voluntarily made paper of any quality, and the Ganpishi （torinokoshi:鳥の子紙）was previously used as the paper for the Dai-nokyo in Showa era at Todaiji.
When I visited Mr. Tetsuo Tange, He thoughr he could present a book for me, (even including a paper sample) called "Until the Handmade Japanese Paper is Made" (written by Tetsuo Tange himself). I got a thick book. He got liked me.He signed…
"Paper is made with the heart" -Yes, to make paper, you need a mental state that is commensurate with it.
Also, when I asked another papermaker, Mr. Shosaku Tanaka (昭作 田中)of Ogawa Town, Saitama Prefecture, looked at my face (although I somehow wanted to shave the beard that had been stretched until then).
And said a word, "No one who makes paper has a beard." I think this is about right. In my experience. Among the paper-making shops that were introduced in "Quarterly Washi" (Wagami-do: currently closed), there was a person who stretched his beard in Tokushima prefecture.(exception)
By the way, I think that "paper making" is the highest-ranked technology like "swordsmith". This is because one step of the work involves "pushing" things into the water. The state of water in that moment cannot be controlled. There is discontinuity. In the case of pottery, it will be hard to work discontinuously.
And a series of processes including "piercing" that is repeated for each scoop. This repetition should not be considered "purifying the soul"?
A word of the day: I named my poor Japanese paper "Zeus Paper", but I think it is quite good as a printer paper.
