00:00 [ Music ]
00:07 Chiyo-agami is a style of Japanese paper decorated
00:10 with colorful designs taken from nature.
00:12 It started with people painting
00:18 on traditional handmade washi paper.
00:20 And grew to become a craft tradition itself
00:27 with an enormous variety of delightful patterns.
00:30 This Chiyo-agami workshop has been making the paper
00:38 since the mid-19th century.
00:39 The owner, Kobayashi Kazuo, takes pride
00:46 in using the traditional techniques handed
00:48 down through four generations of his family.
00:50 The main thing about Chiyo-agami is the designs.
00:56 They're all based on the beauty we find in nature.
00:58 We use two methods to apply them.
01:02 Directly with a brush and by printing in woodblock style.
01:06 In the first method, a special brush is used
01:11 to apply the base color.
01:12 To do this evenly requires much skill and experience.
01:16 Then the patterns are brushed on.
01:23 Everything is done by hand.
01:24 So no two pieces of Chiyo-agami are ever identical.
01:28 [ Music ]
01:38 The second method uses traditional woodblock
01:40 printing techniques.
01:41 It's done in three stages.
01:43 Each handled by a specialist artisan.
01:45 One draws a design.
01:47 One carves it onto the block.
01:48 And another makes the print.
01:53 The process is repeated numerous times
01:55 to make a multicolored print.
01:57 A separate block must be carved for each color.
02:03 The more colors we use, the harder it gets.
02:08 The three artisans making each piece must work as one.
02:12 Otherwise the images won't line up.
02:15 This is a traditional depiction of the seven gods of fortune.
02:21 [ Music ]
02:24 In addition to such illustrations,
02:26 Chiyo-agami artisans use over 1,000 different patterns.
02:30 [ Music ]
02:37 This colorful, versatile paper is widely used
02:39 in crafts like doll making.
02:41 [ Music ]
02:47 Chiyo-agami adds color and beauty to anything.
02:50 It just makes people happy.
02:52 It's a wonderful thing.
02:54 Chiyo-agami became popular in the 18th century following the
02:59 widespread introduction of woodblock printing.
03:01 People soon began using it for many things including origami.
03:05 [ Music ]
03:10 This paper is easily folded and formed to create shapes
03:13 like animals and plants.
03:15 [ Music ]
03:19 Kobayashi uses origami classes to popularize Chiyo-agami.
03:23 [ Music ]
03:26 Today his students from overseas are making origami
03:29 samurai helmets.
03:31 [ Music ]
03:36 Everyone is fascinated by these unique Japanese designs.
03:40 People everywhere appreciate quality.
03:43 This was the first time for me to see and work
03:47 with real traditional Chiyo-agami.
03:49 I think the colors and designs are so beautiful.
03:53 It was also my first time to make origami properly.
03:57 I had a great time and it was a wonderful experience.
04:00 This beautiful and versatile paper is used
04:05 in a wide variety of handicrafts.
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04:09 You can see it on boxes for storing small items, calendars,
04:14 notebooks, writing paper, and other stationary items.
04:19 [ Music ]
04:22 And all kinds of ornaments for the home.
04:26 There are countless ways the Japanese paper craft
04:28 of Chiyo-agami can add color to our lives.
04:32 [ Music ]
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