ryōshi 料紙

Paper used for writing and painting; for documents, classical books, Buddhist sutras etc. Ryōshi used in Japan includes *mashi 麻紙, *choshi 楮紙, *ganpishi 雁皮紙, and *mitsumatagami 三椏紙. Mashi, is made from yellow or white hemp and was widely used as the paper on which to copy sutras, particularly in the Nara and early Heian periods. Choshi, which is made from the abundant mulberry tree that grows in all regions of Japan and produces tough paper fibers, is the predominant paper in use since ancient times. It includes several varieties: *hōsho 奉書, *minogami 美濃紙, and *danshi 檀紙. Ganpishi (also known as *torinokogami 鳥の子紙 or chicken paper, because of its yellow color), is a very fine quality paper with a smooth, glossy surface made from plant fibers (Diplomorphasikokiana), and often used for book production since ancient times. From the late Muromachi period onwards it was usually used for documents. Thick varieties *atsuyō 厚様, and thin varieties *usuyō 薄様 also were produced. Mitsumatagami, made from mitsumata 三椏 plant fibers (Edgeworthia papyrifera) was developed in the mid-Edo period, but was generally not used for books or documents.
A full single rectangular sheet *zenshi 全紙 of ryōshi, when used horizontally, is known as tategami 竪紙 (also written 立紙). When this is folded in half horizontally it is called origami 折紙. When it is folded in half vertically it is called tateorigami 竪折紙. A sheet which is folded both horizontally and vertically and then cut into smaller pieces is called kirikami 切紙. When a piece of writing cannot be completed on a single sheet, two or three sheets are glued together and this format is known as tsuzukigami 続紙. Ryōshi has a wide variety of uses including: letters, cards, envelopes, books *sassubon 冊子本 and scrolls *kansubon 巻子本. A wide variety of decoration can also be applied.