Obara Paper Art Museum Toyotashi Washi no Furusato | Sightseeing Spots | AichiNow-OFFICIAL SITE FOR TOURISM AICHI

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Toyota-City Obara Paper Art Museum (Toyotashi Washi no Furusato)

  • Obara Paper Art Museum (Toyotashi Washi no Furusato)
  • Obara Paper Art Museum (Toyotashi Washi no Furusato)
  • Obara Paper Art Museum (Toyotashi Washi no Furusato)
  • Obara Paper Art Museum (Toyotashi Washi no Furusato)
  • Obara Paper Art Museum (Toyotashi Washi no Furusato)

The Home of Japanese Paper Crafting, Obara Paper Art Museum

Culture is spread through information, information is spread through communication, communication is written on paper, paper is produced in Aichi. Welcome to one of the cradles of Washi Japanese paper, Obara, in Toyota-City.

Kozo is the Japanese name for the mulberry trees that seem to grow particularly well in the Obara region of Aichi Prefecture’s Toyota City. These mulberry trees have been the source of the particularly strong and versatile traditionally handcrafted washi paper produced here since at least the late 1400’s. Kozogami washi is much stronger than ordinary paper, and is the most common type of washi. It is closer to woven cloth than paper, and was used for the traditional arts of origami, shodo (calligraphy) and Ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Other uses include sliding screen doors in houses, books, and even items of clothing.

The people of Obara Village have been making a particular type of paper known as Mikawa Morishita Gami for hundreds of years. Until the Showa period, this strong paper had been used for umbrellas and shoji screens amongst many other uses. The manufacture of the washi was a long and labor intensive process that was often carried out in the cold winter months since farming was halted, and cold, fresh water was essential to the making of washi.

Toyotashi Washi no Furusato
  • Obara Paper Art Museum (Washi-no-Furusato)
  • Obara Paper Art Museum (Washi-no-Furusato)
  • Obara Paper Art Museum (Washi-no-Furusato)

The full process, and the results can be seen in the Obara Paper Art Museum, Toyotashi Washi no Furusato on the outskirts of Toyota City.

The museum gallery displays the culture of Obara washi, and art works using the versatile paper. In particular, works related to Fujii Tatsukichi, the founder of Obara paper art, along with washi from all over Japan can be seen. The museum’s grounds are surrounded by lush greenery, with vegetation used in the papermaking processes along the pleasant walking trails.

Visitors can watch a short explanatory video on the papermaking process and then try their hand at making their own sheets of creative paper in the Art and Craft Center, where painting, calligraphy, and fan making is offered. Handcrafted Obara washi products are also for sale.

While the thought of a museum dedicated to paper may not sound so appealing at first, discovering the history and the culture behind Japan’s wonderful washi paper, and seeing, and experiencing for yourself the arts it has spawned, makes for a fascinating first hand look at one of Aichi’s important traditional handcrafts.

  • Obara Paper Art Museum (Washi-no-Furusato) Kayak made of washi
  • Obara Paper Art Museum (Washi-no-Furusato) Kimono made of washi
  • Obara Paper Art Museum (Washi-no-Furusato) Colorful varieties of washi on sale

Left: A kayak made entirely of washi paper, properly treated to become waterproof
Center: Washi-made Kimono dress with Obi belt
Right: Various kinds of colorful raw washi are on sale at the shop

SPOT OVERVIEW

  • Multipurpose toilet
  • Souvenirs
  • Parking
  • Bus Stop
  • Nursing room
  • Wi-Fi
Location : 〒470-0562
216-1, Hora Eitaro-cho, Toyota-City, Aichi
Fee : Washi Artwork Gallery (Washi Tenjikan)
○Adults, senior high school students, university students: 200 yen
○Junior high school students and younger: Free of charge

Washi Papermaking Experience
Plain Kamisuki: 1,000 yen
Hasuki: 1,000 yen
Hasuki (Large): 1,100円
Calligraphy: 1,200 yen
Uchiwa (Fan): 1,200 yen
Uchiwa Painting: 1,500 yen
Painting: 1,500 yen
Kabekake: 1,400 yen
Opening
days / hours
: 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Parking : Available, free of charge (cap. 120 cars, 7 buses)
Restrooms : Available
Holidays : •Monday (no substitute holiday if Monday is a public holiday, etc.)
•Year-end and New Years (December 28 to January 4)
Phone number : 0565-65-2151

Note: This page may not be current due to update time differences between site databases.
Should accuracy be critical, please verify this information using a direct source, whenever possible.

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ACCESS

  • Access by public transport
    Access by public transport
    From Nagoya Station, take the subway Higashiyama Line. Alight at Fushimi station and take the subway Tsurumai line. Alight at Umetsubo Station and take the Toyota Oiden Bus Obara Line bound for "Kaminigi". Alight at the "Washi no Furusato" bus stop and walk 1 min.
  • Access by car
    Access by car
    Exit at the Tokai-Kanjo Expressway Toyota Fujioka I.C. or the Sanage Green Road Nakayama I.C. and drive on Route 419 for 15km in the direction of Mizunami.

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KeywordKeyword
#Obara Paper Art Museum
#Washi no Furusato
#Washi Japanese paper
#Craft and Experience
#Obara-Town

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