The Nine-Tailed Fox and the Red Spider Lily

Using wood grown in the natural surroundings of Wakayama as raw material, I hand-make washi paper, starting from the process of extracting the fibers myself. I then hand-dye each sheet of the resulting washi paper, carefully crafting it to preserve the unique textures—such as the layering of colors and subtle bleeding—that are characteristic of handcrafted work. The designs I’ve created using this washi paper are “Fox” and “Red Spider Lily.”

I designed the piece so that the spreading tail of the nine-tailed fox resembles the petals of a red spider lily. I hope that when displayed side by side, these works will evoke a sense of traditional Japanese storytelling and the “Wa” (harmony) that defines Japanese culture. From the creation of the raw materials to the final form, these pieces are imbued with the bounty of the land and the warmth of the artisan’s hands.