Inshu paper

Washi paper is produced in Inaba Province (Tottori Prefecture). Its origins can be found in the ancient Engishiki, but as papermaking flourished in various regions in the early modern period, varieties of Inshu paper, such as hosho, Sugihara, and Kaida, were cultivated under the protection of the feudal domain. Hankire paper, which was used for rolling papers, was called "fude kirezu" (not to cut with a brush) because of its quality suitable for writing with ink, and was used until recently. The tradition of washi paper production has been preserved even after the Meiji period, and the raw materials used include kozo (paper mulberry) and mitsumata (Japanese paper), as well as various plant fibers and wood pulp, and some mechanical papermaking has been introduced, and even today, it produces one of Japan's leading calligraphy papers. Factories are concentrated in Saji-cho and Aoya-cho in Tottori City.

[Machida Masayuki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

因幡(いなば)国（鳥取県）で産出される和紙。その源流は古く『延喜式(えんぎしき)』にもみられるが、近世に入って各地で製紙が盛んになると、因州紙も奉書、杉原(すぎはら)、皆田(かいだ)などの種類が藩の保護のもとに置かれ育成された。また巻紙用の半切(はんきれ)紙は、墨書に適した紙質ゆえに「筆切れず」とよばれて近年まで愛用された。明治以後も和紙製造の伝統は守られ、原料もコウゾ（楮）やミツマタ（三椏）のほか、各種の植物繊維や木材パルプも配合し、一部に機械漉(ず)きも取り入れて、現在でも日本有数の書道用紙を生産している。工場は鳥取市佐治(さじ)町と同市青谷(あおや)町とに集中している。

［町田誠之］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例