Washi Paper Sculptures in Matsumoto Japan
Matsumoto, a scenic Japanese city of about 250,000, sits in a wide, fertile valley between the northern Japan Alps and the Utsukushigahara Plateau. For most of the year, its major draws are its castle — Japan’s longest-standing, which, with five black-and-white tiers and a shiny wood interior, is a remarkable work of 16th-century craftsmanship — and the wealth of opportunities in the surrounding mountains for hikers, those who enjoy snow sports and lovers of hot-spring bathing. (from The Japan Times)
Image: Kamiyakata Shimayu Paper Company
"In the Ote district near the castle, at the Kamiyakata Shimayu paper company, proprietress Eiko Ito sculpts fantastic demons and princes from thick Japanese washi paper." The Japan Times
Image: Kamiyakata Shimayu Paper Company
Image: Kamiyakata Shimayu Paper Company