"Katazome-shi" literally means stencil-dyed (katazome) papers (-shi). Developed during the 20th century in Kyoto, based on traditional kimono printing techniques, Katazome-shi is still made there today. These richly coloured papers are printed by hand, one colour at a time, using persimmon-dyed kozo as the stencils, and aided by paste and "Gojiru" (soy bean juice), the pigments absorb deeply into the paper to produce long-lasting colour.
The sudden death of Mr. Kawakatsu, owner of Wazome Kogei, and the subsequent closure of this studio, has left us deeply saddened. Wazome Kogei was one of the last remaining Katazome-shi production studios in Japan. Please enjoy this limited selection of patterns while they are still available. Read about Katazome-shi in more detail.