Experience Japanese Papermaking in Kyoto

Learn a traditional Japanese craft and make a souvenir to treasure for a lifetime

Kamitowa derives from the combining of two Japanese words: kami, or “paper,” and wa for “Japanese tradition.” At Kamitowa, you can learn the time-honored craft of making washi, or Japanese paper.

Washi has a history of about 1,400 years, beginning as a winter side job for farmers. They produced the raw materials for paper, then produced the paper inside their homes during the cold months. This way of making paper from raw materials was common until as recently as 100 years ago, when mass-manufactured foreign paper became more common due to its quick production times and lower costs. Although there are only a few homes where washi is still produced today, the technique has experienced a renaissance in the modern age of environmental awareness. Kamitowa was established with the goal of preserving the heritage of Japanese papercraft and sharing the culture and tradition with people from all over the world.

Visitors to Kamitowa can choose from a variety of workshops where you can make everything from postcards to wall tapestries to table mats. Those looking for an even more in-depth cultural experience can choose to create a goshuin book, a special volume you can take on a pilgrimage to temples and shrines, where you will receive a beautiful seal—a truly unique collector's item. Experience traditional Japanese craftsmanship and return home with a hand-made memento of your very own.

Access: From Shin-Osaka Station, take a rapid train on the Tokaido-Sanyo Line to Kyoto Station (about 25 minutes), then transfer to the Karasuma Line to Karasuma Oike Station (about five minutes) and walk seven minutes to Kamitowa.

Kamitowa