Tengujo:Conservation & Restoration Washi

Tengujo Washi Paper is manufactured in Japan’s Kochi prefecture in Tengujo-city. Often referred to as “wings of a mayfly,” due to its long and silky fibers. Made from the highest-quality Japanese kozo plant, its fibers make it one of the most distinctive kind of Washi Paper. Indeed, tengujo is the thinnest, most transparent, and incredibly flexible papers in the world.

Tengujo Washi is perfectly suited for all restoration work at the highest level such as partial back-gluing, fixing tears and promoting mechanical stabilization of papers of drawings, books, and fragile written documents. Tengujo Washi has been used for preservation and conservation work for cultural properties such as historical sculptures or paintings across the world.

1. Repair of weathered paper surfaces
   When paper is not kept under the proper conditions, it can deteriorate. Exposing paper to moisture can result in growing mold and due to the moisture and enzymes from the mold, the paper fibers are decayed where strands or tufts begin to visibly appear on the paper. Tengujo Washi Paper can be used to prevent further weathering of paper by layering it over the paper surface. Even when Tengujo is layered over written document, the text underneath can still be clearly read. This incredibly thin paper that weighs only 2.0 grams per square meter with 0.02 millimeter-thickness is best suited for old document conservation purposes.

2. Fix deteriorated leather-bound books
   Due to absorption of acidic gases from the atmosphere and excessive dryness, leather cracks and eventually degrades into a reddish-brown powder. By placing Tengujo Washi Paper on the cover of leather-bound materials, further deterioration can be prevented. Because of its thinness, toughness, and flexibility, Tengujo Washi Paper is often used for the restoration of leather-bound materials. In addition, Tengujo Washi Paper is used to fix other wide range of materials that become difficult to use caused by acidity. By simply layering Tengujo Washi on both sides of deteriorated materials, weakened or teared parts, it is all recovered in use. Also, Tengujo Washi’s thinness is convenient for restoring double-sided or colored documents. Made from 100% KOZO plant fiber, the resiliency of Tengujo Washi has been shown to last for thousands of years.

3. Prevent peeling and loss of surface colors
   In the restoration process of wooden statues, the first step is to handle scratches and stains, and the next step is to prevent from fading and cracking where Tengujo Washi is applied to its surface. Extra colors are added on top of the layer if necessary. In order to perfectly fit with curved lines of the statues surface, this thin, strong, and transparent Tengujo Washi is ideal. All features of wooden sculptures can be preserved naturally because the fibers of Japanese KOZO plants in Tengujo Washi are long, porous, and flexible allowing it to adhere well to the entire surface of the statue. Our own invention of the chlorine-free bleaching technics removes all impurities from the KOZO fibers without using any chemical agents.

Today, in the world’s famous libraries and museums, historical documents and cultural properties that are crucially needed to be restored are increasing rapidly. Tengujo Washi can serve professionals in the restoration field to help save the world history that must be passed through to future generations.

The main element of Tengujo Washi Paper is KOZO fiber produced from Japanese mulberry tree. The entire washi-making process depends on how well the KOZO plant is produced. The quality of KOZO plant deeply relates to the natural conditions as well as the age of the tree. Each KOZO has its own unique characteristics, and we use a variety of specific KOZOs in order to meet each customer requirements.

However, a clear difference emerges depending on the technology used in the washi-making process. If chemicals used when boiling the KOZO fibers, the time it takes to process each step, and the uniformity of the fibers and water… these all factors make a difference in the final product. As a result of boiling, pectin and lignin are removed from the fibers, and it comes closer to the point where only fibers remain in the paper-making material. At this point we start applying customized methods to meet each customer’s unique needs.

The place of origin of this paper was Gifu Prefecture, said to be the birthplace of paper in Japan. In the Muromachi period(1336 to 1573) this paper was already being made, and in the Edo period (1603 to 1867), it had various uses such as sketches for woodblock prints, tracing paper, and also in mounting and backing.

These thin papers began to be developed becoming larger and better quality. In 1880, the experimental forming of large-size Tengujo Washi was made successfully. In the following year, Tengujo Washi with a thickness of 0.03 millimeters was entered into the national market. Recognized as thin, suitable for writing with ink, and durable enough for typewriting.

In this way, Tengujo Washi was first used as typewriter paper, but was also used for napkins, wrapping paper for precious stones, coffee filters, and lens cleaning paper.  Tengujo Washi started being exported and became known as ultimately thin paper worldwide.

However, after World War Ⅱ, the decrease of typewriter usage and the invention of machine-made paper led the decrease in the number of craftsmen. Traditionally-made paper was propped up by a limited demand, and continues a very small existence to this day.

Recently, attention has been paid to the facts that Japanese historical documents and paintings have preserved much longer at higher levels than anything else in other countries. Tengujo Washi became internationally recognized as the finest paper for restoration of cultural properties.  As a result, world-renown cultural properties such as Michelangelo’s wall paintings in the Vatican and works preserved in the Louvre in Paris began to use Tengujo Washi paper for restoration purposes. Today the production of Tengujo Washi paper is stable for large production thanks to machine-made paper technology. This world’s thinnest and strongest paper developed by the dexterous techniques and aesthetic sensibilities of Japanese people has received acclaim over the last hundred years, and it’s continuing even now.