Skin deep: Japan's 'washi' paper torn by modern life

A worker standing behind the world's thinnest 'washi' paper at the Hidaka Washi factory in Hidaka, Kochi prefecture, some 640km southwest of Tokyo. Photo: AFP

Once an indispensable part of daily life in Japan, ultra-thin washi paper was used for everything from writing and painting to lampshades, umbrellas, and sliding doors, but demand has plunged as lifestyles have become more Westernised.

Despite its 1,300-year history and Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage status, washi paper is struggling to attract consumers and the market value has dropped by more than 50% in the past two decades.