The principle ingredients of washi include kozo, mitsumata and gampi. The different types of washi involve the most appropriate ingredient being selected from the three, according to the purpose of use. The part actually used in the papermaking is the bark. from which fibers are removed to then be used in producing the paper.
The ingredients are first soaked in water to soften them. The black bark on the surface is then gently removed with a knife.
The ingredients are once again soaked in water to soften the fibers. Bamboo. straws, and hemp etc. are then added. Chemical ingredients such as wood ash and lime are also added before being boiled in an iron pot.
The boiled ingredients are soaked in clear river water and roughly washed. Any non-fiber substances and remaining scum are then removed. Waste and damaged material are then further carefully removed by hand.
The fibers from the ingredients are patted and disentangled until the same size and length.
The disentangled ingredients are dissolved in water, and mucilage extracted from the root of gaibika" is then added to them. This mixture is then scooped up and stirred with a sugeta (paper drain board) to allow the fibers to entangle with one another.
Paper made in this way is called gshisshi (moist paper)". Several hundred sheets of moist paper are stacked on top of each other to form a paper bed, on which a weight is then placed to remove the water.
The sheets of moist paper are peeled off one by one from the dehydrated paper bed, pasted on a drying board with a brush, and then dried.
Any defective sections are removed, and the appropriate quality paper then cut into size according to the purpose of use.