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Show n of papermaking in Echi ot known, there is a fanciful loca legend that purports to be very ancient. A certain de revealed himself by the side of the stream, and, di woman, he placed a part of his kimono upon a bamboo stick in imitatio of a mould; this he then dipped into the stream and shook it as if in th ct of forming a sheet of paper. The villagers, upon sceing the strang happcnlng were much excited and astonished and implored that they b told the significance of the unusual actions. The reply was, according t c story: "The soil of this dukedom is poor and lacks fertility, but th water from the mountain streams is clear and pure. I shall, L)mdom teac you papermaking so that all may live by this craft." Th villagers aske who the stranger might be and received only the reply, "My name i Mizuha-Nome-no-Mikoto"; the moment the answer was given the appa1 disappeared and was seen no more by the simple village folk. Soo x this slrangt occurrence the art of papermaking was established i Echizen, and the people from (hs mmuudmg countryside built, nea the village of Okamoto, a be Shints Shrine and dedicated it t izuha-Nome-no-Mikoto, the mythlml founder of Echizen papermaking Photograph 28. The lovely old gey group of wooden, tled-roofed buildings some half dozen in number, is set on a quict and lonely hillside amid gian evergreen trecs [hmugh which |)U\L(r1tn, thin streaks of light casting weir patterns upon the moss-coveredroofs of the inspiring shrine - the mos impressive sanctuary in the wi orld dullca[ed to the craft of papermaking.' The e larges aper ever made by hand were fabricated i Okamoto at the Iwano mill, located not a great distance from the Shintd Shrine. Two sheets were formed, although only one was required, cac measuring sixteen feet eight inches squa paper was too large to b made in a mould in the regulation manner, som workmen sprayed th o i the compou of hecld el paper o of s nique monument, consant il e G o Digitalimage© 2004 Marriott Library, Universityof Utah. Allights reserved |