Washi paper, Inshū washi paper, Aoya district

After World War II, the proliferation of office machines and rapid changes in lifestyle dealt a devastating blow to washi paper production and products such as thin office note paper and shoji (sliding door) paper. To counter this decline, Inshu washi production shifted its focus to specialty calligraphy, craft, and dyed papers, all of which have remained popular until today with washi aficionados and calligraphers.