Steaming and Stripping

Steaming

Since only the bark of the tree is used for papermaking, the bundles of harvested trees are steamed in a barrel for 2 to 2 ½ hours. The steaming loosens the bark so that it can be easily removed.

Unlike the other fibers, the Gampi plant does not undergo the steaming process. It must be harvested from February to May when the plant is full of water and the bark can be easily removed without steaming.

It takes a village to make a piece of Washi, and the steaming of Kozo and Mitsumata becomes quite a social event.

Stripping

Once the bark has been loosened by the steaming, it is stripped from the branches. This is done immediately after the steaming process, as this is when the bark is the softest and most flexible.

The long strips of bark are then gathered into bunches and hung out to dry for several days. This bark is called kurokawa or black bark, for its dark color.

Underneath the dark exterior is the shirokawa or "white bark." The white bark is separated from the black bark by a time proven technique of walking upon the bark on flat stones in a running stream.

All of the dark bark as well any scars from insects or other conspicuous impurities must be painstakingly removed in order to produce clean sheet of paper. The remaining wood from the branches can be used as firewood.

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