MINO-WASHI Museum, Paper museum in Mino, Japan.
The MINO-WASHI Museum is a paper museum in Mino dedicated to traditional Japanese papermaking, displaying the tools, materials, and step-by-step methods used to create washi. The exhibits show how artisans transform plant fibers into finished sheets with distinctive qualities found nowhere else.
The Mino region has been a center for papermaking since at least the 8th century, as shown by historical artifacts discovered locally. The craft evolved through the centuries and remains a defining part of the area's heritage and identity today.
The paper-making tradition here reflects centuries of knowledge passed down through families in this region, shaping how locals see themselves and their craft. You can observe how this practice remains woven into daily Japanese life and contemporary design choices.
The museum allows visitors to try making paper themselves using traditional methods, which takes time and hands-on participation. Planning ahead and wearing clothes that can get damp is advisable, as the process involves working with water and plant fibers.
The museum displays how traditional washi paper pairs beautifully with modern Western design and Hida wooden furniture in interior settings. This juxtaposition shows how an ancient craft adapts naturally to contemporary living spaces and global design trends.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.