Making Hinges With Japanese Paper

The term “rice paper” often used to describe these papers is a misnomer Japanese paper is not made from rice. These handmade papers are used for hinging because they possess webs of fibers that have been allowed to form naturally in a mould. Bamboo or reed screens are dipped repeatedly into a mixture of macerated fibers and water, when the water drains, the fibers form a sheet, the thickness of which is determined by the type of fiber used and the control exerted by the papermaker. These sheets are then laid out to dry.

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