Mino Washi — 1,300-Year Paper Tradition (UNESCO)

Mino washi (美濃和紙) is handmade paper produced in Mino City using techniques designated UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (2014). The papermaking tradition dates to 702 AD and produces some of Japan's finest washi — thin, translucent, yet remarkably strong due to the long fibers of kozo (mulberry bark). Mino washi was historically used for shoji screens, lanterns, umbrellas, and official documents; today it's prized for art conservation, calligraphy, and contemporary design.

The Mino Washi Museum (Mino-shi Akari Art Museum) displays traditional washi production techniques and hosts an annual lantern festival (October) where the old town's Udatsu street is lined with washi lantern art installations. Visitors can tour washi workshops, observe artisans forming sheets on bamboo screens in cold water, and participate in hands-on papermaking sessions where you create your own washi sheet to take home.