Understand
“I learned how to think from my father and how to make paper from my mother,” says Makiko Iwano, who aspires to become Heizaburo Iwano IV.Iwano Heizaburo Paper Mills is located in the Goka district of Echizen City, the center of Echizen washi.She grew up among them and was brought up to assume their names.It is the largest handmade washi workshop in Japan, and at its peak, the company's father had 60 employees.
“To take over.”It means not only skill but also management.As she grew up, the words carried more weight, and she worked outside to escape.However, distancing herself from washi made her realize that ‘we must not lose this important tradition’.Three years after graduating from college, she joined Iwano Heizaburo Paper Mills.Makiko wanted to hone her skills as a craftsman, and her predecessor gave her a challenge: to be able to handle the entire process of making washi paper."It was frustrating at the time.Now, as a manager, I can understand that I need to understand the whole process of making washi," she laughs.
The company's signature ‘Kumohadamashi’ which once out of date hemp paper was revived in 1926 by Heizaburo Iwano, the founder of the company, after research encouraged by Konan Naito of the Imperial University of Tokyo.At the time, Japanese painting paper was revolutionary in its ability to express expression through layers of paint, and it revolutionized the Japanese painting world and was loved by great masters such as Yokoyama Taikan and Hirayama Ikuo.The largest paper is 212 cm x 273 cm, and only a few companies among the many Echizen washi mills are capable of making such large sheets of paper.
"It takes two to make one,for large sheets of paper, four or six people work in a team.That is why it is important toget in sync with each other.The same can be said for the entire washi-making process," she says.Makiko herself, when her feelings appear on paper, tries to 'hold her own and always remain calm'.She also learned this attitude from his predecessors.
Now, as a manager, she thinks about what Iwano Heizaburo Paper Mills should be, and as a craftsman, she is concerned about how much repeat business she can get from the artists.Always attuned to the wishes of the artist, we all make paper together.The number of paper types has increased as the number of artists has increased, exceeding 30.“We will pursue the Japanese drawing paper.”This is the belief and history of the Iwano Heizaburo Paper Mills.
"Overseas, though, paintings are mainly on canvas (cloth), in the future, I would like to promote Japanese paper, which is a part of Japanese culture, as art paper overseas," says Makiko.With the belief passed down from generation to generation to Heizaburo Iwano, he aims for the day when 'Kumohadamashi' becomes the world's art paper.
Text / Midori Tomohiro
