The white bark is now ready for cooking. First, it is presoaked in cold running water and then
boiled in alkali for roughly one hour. It is then allowed to sit in the covered pot for 1-8 hours.
The Boiling process softens the fiber and helps to remove any remaining non-cellulose materials.
This process, much like conventional cooking is much about intuition as any given methodology.
Bleaching
The fibers are then ready for bleaching. The traditional method is to place the fibers in cold
running water for up to two days.
Kawa-zarashi or stream bleaching produces a soft white tone and does not weaken the fibers.
Today chemical bleaches may aid in this process.
After the bleaching process is completed any scars or residual impurities are picked out by
hand in a process called chiri-tori.
Like the steaming of the fibers, the rinsing and cleaning of the pulp is a collective effort
that brings the entire community together in making Washi.
Beating
Following the chiri-tori, the fibers are broken apart into smaller, individual fibers that will
allow for the formation of an even sheet of paper.
Fibers are beaten either with wooden mallets or a small mechanical beater. The hand beating
technique produces longer fibers with splayed ends which makes a stronger piece of paper.
The fibers are beaten until they resemble wet cotton and do not clump when placed in water.
The resulting pulp is almost ready for sheet formation.
The white bark is now ready for cooking. First, it is presoaked in cold running water and then
boiled in alkali for roughly one hour. It is then allowed to sit in the covered pot for 1-8 hours.
Kawa-zarashi or stream bleaching produces a soft white tone and does not weaken the fibers.
Today chemical bleaches may aid in this process.
Following the chiri-tori, the fibers are broken apart into smaller, individual fibers that will
allow for the formation of an even sheet of paper.