The Tosa domain is said to have learned paper-making from the next-door domain of Iyo to the north. Traditionally, Japanese paper called ‘washi’ was made using the bark of the paper mulberry and a paste derived from a type of vine. In the Edo period, Tosa washi gained renown when sets of paper in seven colours were presented to the Shōgun. In the Meiji period, Yoshii Genta laid the foundation for the development of the paper industry by developing fine tissue paper which extended the many applications of paper.

The Ino Paper Museum located on the Niyodo River comprises a museum, a workshop, an exhibition space, and a shop selling a surprising range of beautiful articles made from paper. The museum covers both the history of paper-making in Kōchi, and the processes used to make it. The process is very laborious, and it requires finely constructed equipment, all of which is presented in attractive displays that are testament to Japanese manufacturing skills passed down through the ages.

In the workshop, you can see craftspeople making washi paper the traditional way. For a small fee, you can try your hand at making washi postcards under the patient guidance of an expert. There’s a feeling of immense satisfaction in gradually converting sloppy pulp into crisp, flat sheets of paper using a sequence of controlled movements that engage the whole body. The work has an almost meditative quality.