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The Karakami Paper of Karacho

Karacho was founded in Kyoto in 1624. This handcrafted paper is printed by hand with patterns from approximately 600 woodblocks that have been passed down from generation to generation. Karakami paper from Karacho exhibits a gorgeous, shaded beauty.

Through the restoration of the cultural assets of shrines and temples—such as traditional sliding screens and wallpaper—we have been preserving and disseminating the culture of karakami paper as the only karakami studio to continuously remain in business for approximately 400 years since the beginning of the Edo Period.

Today, karakami artist Toto Akihiko and the 13th studio master Senda Aiko continue the history and tradition of Karacho as a married couple in Saga, Kyoto.

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Philosophy

We believe that karakami paper has the power to make people happy. Karacho karakami and the patterns that adorn it have a “presence” that quietly works its influence upon the heart while harboring people’s prayers to nature and all the gods and spirits.

Transcending the ages and traversing the world, it carries the hopes and dreams of the entirety of humanity, past and present. It is a treasure of Japanese esthetics and conveys the universal beauty of patterns.
It is the beauty of nature itself, manifested in a material form.
Gentle on the environment, both in the past and present, it is a sustainable mode of cultural inheritance.

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Order

Starting with our kirazuri-style karakami made using traditional techniques, customers can expect karakami with a distinctive Karacho touch to fit environments both classic and modern, blending into Japanese and Western spaces alike.

Following consultations on the patterns and color schemes at our salon (by appointment only), we pour our hearts into each creation, making pieces perfectly customized for each customer. Our salon offers customers the unique experience of ordering karakami paper as they would a piece of haute couture.

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Works

Karacho and Kira Karacho offer a variety of options for decorating contemporary spaces. Although times and fashions change, the karakami paper of Karacho has continuously been sought after over the 400 years of the studio’s existence and fits all manner of spaces, whether Japanese or Western.

From residential adornments such as fusuma sliding doors and wallpaper to karakami pieces and works of art in large spaces—such as public and commercial facilities as well as the restoration of cultural assets in shrines and temples—karakami paper adds a special esthetic to the decoration of spaces. This section presents some examples of karakami works in situ.

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Online Store

We are now preparing.

Collaboration

We are engaged in the development of various products using Karacho patterns, collaborating with multiple partners based on the concept of living with an esthetic sensitivity by incorporating art and one’s favorite things into everyday life.

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