Kansai's handmade washi villages SHIGA Wakatake gampi-shi Washi production by the physically disabled Wakatake Workshop - Vocational training institute for physically disabled people Address: 657-1 Yamadera-cho, Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture TEL:077-565-0178 Wasi making in progress Three years ago, a washi-making group was organized at the Wakatake workshop, and ever since then, workshop participants have been involved in traditional manual washi making. According to KUBO Kenji, director of the workshop, an enjoyable part of making washi is being able to take the time to persevere, and everyone there enjoys working at it. Since there is no washi-making tradition in this region, the workshop staff had to learn washi-making techniques right from the beginning, obtaining specialized tools from Mino, Gifu Prefecture, one of the nation's largest washi production centers. With its main goal that everyone involved in the work gains social recognition and happiness as a worker rather than that at succeeding at making high-quality washi, the group continues with its efforts. As a result, its hand-made Wakatake gampi-shi was for the first time made into commercial products last year. Aiming at producing original local washi, they use blue flowers, the official flower of Kusatsu; ditch reeds from Lake Biwa; and other local materials. At present, the group has six members. The workshop also holds washi-making classes for the public, in which the crafts makers become instructors, promoting the appeal of the charms of washi-making art. All images Copyright. 1997 Kansai International Public Relations Promotion Office. All Rights Reserved.