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Show ofcertain trees and.shrubs, the bark of which forms excellent papermating fibre, tha o the outstanding techmique of the Japaness in the craft of papermaking. This doe not mean that the Japanese are not expert papermakers, relying only upon their superio val fibre, for they are, without doubt the world's most highly skilled artisans i m; craft. With the Japanese innate ability to execute unusual hand work and throug the use of mulberry, mitsumata and gampi fbres as raw materials, it is not an exag ation to state that the present-day handmade papers of Japan are the technical. marve of the entire papermakers' er oo ol s wal st Orient fost-running machine cach pmdu:mq lundredsof fect of paper a minute, but these delicate and easi oo ot o which theJapanese subject their thin but hardy handmade papers in the making of windows, lanterns, partition sorcens (shi) umbrellas, rain-cloaks, bags, tarpaulins, and all manner of other raquirements wher glass, metal, leatler, and cloth are employed in the Occident. The general impressio existing among Western people is that Japan has a mild climate and that therefor more delicate and fragile objects can survive, but this is not the case, as botk summe and winter in Japan are most severe and are trying even to an American accustome o rigorous winters and to summers thatare damp and warm. It is only t/xmtlg/z th use of superior and unique papermaking mammb and genuine ability in the paper fabrication that theJapanese are able to make papers that give /xxl/fulservic through long periods, being used. over and.over again. It is not uncommon to see pape unbrellas that have been in use_for many years, and. any traveller knows that Japa could never be called a rainless countyy. The observant wayfarer who has sojourne i the mountainous litle island during the spring months is cognizant ofthe hardsip the paper umbrellas must undergo, fo it often vains for several days without interrup tion;. and. o mater how wet and damp it may be the people are alevays to be see walking through the rain-soaked rice fields with their stilted wooden sandals and thei :/Mvmmg{; coloured paper umbrellas Along the country roads and. lanes of Japan it s interesting to watch the grea wariety of man- and beast-drazwn carts laden with every kind. of native commodity Digitalimage© 2004 Marriott ibrary, Universiy of Utah. All ights reserved |