Mino Washi — 1,300-Year Paper Tradition (UNESCO)

Published: Jun 2, 2026

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

washi paperUNESCOMinocraftspapermaking

Mino Washi — 1,300-Year Paper Tradition (UNESCO)

Mino Washi — 1,300-Year Paper Tradition (UNESCO) 2

Mino washi (美濃和紙) is handmade paper produced in Mino City using techniques designated UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (2014). The papermaking tradition dates to 702 AD and produces some of Japan's finest washi — thin, translucent, yet remarkably strong due to the long fibers of kozo (mulberry bark). Mino washi was historically used for shoji screens, lanterns, umbrellas, and official documents; today it's prized for art conservation, calligraphy, and contemporary design.

The Mino Washi Museum (Mino-shi Akari Art Museum) displays traditional washi production techniques and hosts an annual lantern festival (October) where the old town's Udatsu street is lined with washi lantern art installations. Visitors can tour washi workshops, observe artisans forming sheets on bamboo screens in cold water, and participate in hands-on papermaking sessions where you create your own washi sheet to take home.

Opening Hours

Mino Washi Museum (Akari Art Museum): 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM | Warabi Paper Workshop: by reservation (typically 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM) | Udatsu townscape: accessible 24/7

Closed: Mino Washi Museum: closed Tuesdays (and Wednesday if Tuesday is holiday) | Workshop: by appointment, confirm availability when booking

Entrance Fee

Mino Washi Museum: ¥500 | Warabi Paper Workshop: ¥1,000–¥1,500 for hands-on papermaking session | Udatsu townscape: free to walk | Mino Washi Akari Art Festival (October): free

Best Season

October for the Mino Washi Akari Art Festival (mid-October, two nights of washi lantern installations) | Spring and autumn for pleasant walking weather in the Udatsu townscape | Year-round for museum and workshop visits

Visit Duration

Half day for museum, workshop, and Udatsu townscape walk | 60 minutes for museum only | 90 minutes minimum for hands-on papermaking workshop

Getting There

Access Information

Mino City, 40 km south of Gifu City. 30-min drive or train to Mino-Ota Station + 10-min bus. Mino Washi Museum: ¥500, open 9:00–16:30, closed Tuesdays. Warabi Paper Workshop: ¥1,000–1,500 for hands-on papermaking (reservation recommended). Udatsu townscape free to walk. Allocate half-day.

Insider Guide

Premium

**Warabi Paper Workshop:** This family-run workshop offers 60-minute sessions where you create washi from pulp under the guidance of a third-generation papermaker. The process: scoop pulp with a bambo