Try making washi after hiking from Magome to Tsumago!

On a Really Rural Japan guided hike from Magome to Tsumago, this experience can be added on to the end of the hike. Your guide will come with you to translate. The only extra costs will be a 2,500 JPY experience fee to the shop plus transport and delivery. Please note that this experience is only available from December to March due to the cold conditions necessary for making washi.

What is washi?

Washi (和紙) is traditional Japanese paper. It is made using only three ingredients, bark from the kozo tree, a root called tororo-aoi, and water. Tororo-aoi is an anti-clumping agent that only works when the temperatures are under 16°C. For this reason, making washi the traditional way is only possible in the winters and was the winter work of many small villages all over Japan.

Why is it made in Tadachi Village in Nagiso Town?

The tradition of making washi in Tadachi Village goes back around 300 years. It was brought here as a way for the village to make an extra income during the winters and boost the tax paying economy of the area. The clean water of Tadachi is essential for washi making. The south facing village gets long hours of sunshine ideal for drying the washi. For these reasons and more, washi made its way to Tadachi. Nowadays, the craft is very nearly gone due to cheap paper and the lack of demand for the real deal, but a passionate group of locals work incredibly hard to keep their tradition alive! Expect something very real and un-touristic.

What will you do during this experience?

• Meet and greet the master craftsman: During this experience you will start by meeting the master craftsman keep the washi industry alive in Tadachi.

• Washi making experience: After learning about the craft, it is time to get hands on. You can choose between making post cards, larger sheets of paper, or both. An instructor will show you the techniques and work together with you to make memories and your own handmade washi. Anything that cannot be dried on the day will be sent to you once it is dry.

• Shopping and farewells: Finally you can peruse their shop freely and say your farewells.

How do you get there?

Tadachi is about a 10 minute drive from Tsumago Juku. It is easiest by car. Sometime taxis are necessary costing about 2,500 JPY each way.

Prices:

• If you are doing this as a bonus experience after hiking from Magome to Tsumago, you only have to pay the shop’s experience fee of 2,500 JPY per person plus delivery costs if needed. Transportation fees are not included.

• If you are doing this as a stand alone experience the price will be 30,000 JPY + 2,500 JPY per person. Delivery and transportation costs are not included.