Karacho: A Treasurehouse of Woodblock Designs

Since it was established in 1624, Karacho has produced karakami (traditional Japanese paper printed with woodblocks) for fusuma sliding doors at noted temples, tea-ceremony rooms, and historical sites such as Katsura Imperial Villa. The Kyoto-based company also makes wallpaper and folding screens for traditional machiya townhouses.

At the beginning of its long history, Karacho, which has been overseen by the same family for 12 generations, produced paper for books designed by legendary artists such as Honami Koetsu and Tawaraya Sotastu. The company maintains a collection of 650 woodblocks, many of which were carved in the Edo Period (1603-1868) and are still in use today.