Vintage 1970s Japanese Folios
THIS IS A PREVIEW
This will be available to purchase on Sunday, April 19 at:
UK 8pm, Berlin 9pm, LA 12pm (midday), NY 3pm.
1970s Handmade Japanese Calender Folio Cases by Wazome Kogei
Uncirculated or vintage folios from this era remain highly collectible today.
This collection comprises of 19 folios, each covered in a unqiue patterned paper. There is only one of each example available.
Please note - Being Japanese, these were made to opening "backwards", right to left. We have photographed these with an emphasis on the western way of handling a folio or a book, right to left.
FOLIO CASES
The folio cases in this collection represent a beautiful intersection of traditional craft preservation and modern, mid-20th-century design, appealing to both Japanese folk art enthusiasts and Western markets interested in handmade techniques.
The fronts are covered with a decorative paper called Wazome or Katazome, the reverse with a coloured, crinkled momigami paper.
Momigami paper (in eggplant or deep brown) is a handmade paper which has been treated with konnyaku starch from the Devil's Tongue plant.
This treatment adds a strength and a leathery toughness to the paper making these folios not only beautiful but also great for regular use.
Inside, these folio cases are lined with various white papers, including "chiri" with visible kozo bark flecks, or some with silk thread paper.
There is a pocket for secure print/document storage.
This pocket is made with an elegant, clever fold, allowing it to expand when needed.
Each case has a closure ribbon tie.
IN THE HAND
Each folio case measures 15 x 11 inches (393 x 278 mm). They can comfortably hold sheets of paper up to 15 x 10 inches (380 x 255 mm) inside.
ABOUT THE DECORATIVE PAPER AND ITS MAKER
WAZOME OKOGEI was a renowned producer of hand-stenciled (katazome) papers printed on high-quality handmade Awagami washi (primarily kozo-fiber based). The studio operated for decades as one of the last traditional katazome-shi workshops in Japan, with strong ties to the 1960s–1970s and beyond.
The studio is famously linked to limited-edition calender folios produced in the late 1960s and 1970s: Notably, the 1968 folio (and similar annual sets into the 1970s/early 1980s) featured 12 individual monthly prints which is where these folio cases come from.
A later example of a katazome, stencil-made, calender.
Designs for the papers were by Takeshi Nishijima (a key Mingei movement figure, graphic designer, and "Living National Treasure" designate), printed via katazome on handmade Awagami washi by Wazome Kogei in Kyoto.
Background on Wazome Kogei
The studio was founded by Mr. Kuriyama, who adapted the traditional katazome technique (originally used for dyeing silk kimono) to washi paper in the post-WWII era, when demand for kimono fabrics declined. He collaborated closely with Awagami Factory in Tokushima.
Later owned by Mr. Kawakatsu, who continued the handmade production until his sudden passing in late 2024/early 2025, leading to the studio's permanent closure with no successor.
Wazome Kogei became especially known in the 1970s (and from the late 1960s) for producing exquisite katazome-printed washi, including patterns designed in collaboration with notable Mingei (folk art) figures.
Katazome Process
Katazome-shi involves:
Creating stencils (traditionally hand-cut katagami). Applying a resist paste (rice bran + rice flour) through the stencil onto the absorbent handmade washi and letting it dry fully. Brushing or stenciling soy-based natural dyes/inks.
Hand-rinsing under cold water to remove the resist, revealing vibrant, deep-dyed patterns that penetrate the paper fibers.
The result is durable, richly colored decorative paper with traditional Japanese motifs (florals, geometrics, nature-inspired), often with four deckle edges. These papers were prized for bookbinding, collage, fine art, and crafts.
Current Availability
Following the studio's closure, original Wazome Kogei katazome-shi production has ended.
Genuine 1968 (or 1970s) Nishijima/Wazome Kogei calendar folio cases are rare.
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