Ogawa Washi

Ogawa Washi boasts a history of 1,300 years and is the closest Washi production area to Edo (now Tokyo). During its peak, thousands of papermaking workshops in Ogawa produced various types of Washi paper for the entire country. KUBO PAPER FACTORY, established in 1913, is now led by the third-generation craftsman and chidori painting artist, Shotaro Kubo, who has been recognized as a non-hereditary successor. In recent years, the decline in the number of farmers cultivating kozo, the raw material for Washi, due to the influx of cheap Washi paper, has posed a challenge for preserving this craft. The fifth-generation successor, Kubo Isetaro, is committed to improving raw materials and technology while maintaining tradition. His products feature a rich variety of colors and patterns, including the traditional Japanese shades of green and brown created by his ancestors, as well as modern, elegant, and bright designs.