Kyoto’s Traditional Craftsmanship Experience at Karamaru

Hello, this is the staff of The Gate Hotel Kyoto Takasegawa. This time, I would like to introduce a traditional hands-on workshop at Karamaru.

What is “Kyo Karakami”?

Karakami is a decorative paper decorated with patterns said to have been brought back from Tang China by Japanese envoys. Since it is believed that envoys were dispatched to Tang China between the 7th and 9th centuries, karakami came to Japan about 1,300 years ago. Court nobles and aristocrats first used it as a paper for writing sentences and poems, and eventually came to be used for folding screens, fusuma (sliding doors), and wallpaper as housing styles changed.
Karakami is made in the traditional way, using woodblocks, and each sheet is finished by hand-sliding the design with the palm of the craftsman’s hand.

What you can experience at Karamaru

At Karamaru, visitors can try their hand at a variety of karakami experiences, ranging from the simple to the large-scale karakami Printing experience.

1. Postcard Printing Experience

Using a “Karakami kit” a miniature version of the Kyo Karakami experience kit, visitors can print karakami patterns on postcards. You can also mix and match your own colors.

Fee: 2,400 yen (tax included)
Time: 60 min.

2. Karakami Printing Experience and Workshop Tour

This tour includes a visit to the karakami workshop and the experience of printing karakami using woodblocks that have been handed down for more than 100 years.

Fee：6,000 yen (tax included)
Time: 60 min.

Click here to hear more about the experience