Echizen Washi Cobble Box - Grey

These paper boxes are hand-sculpted using Echizen washi, a type of Japanese paper made in the Echizen region of Fukui Prefecture. Washi is made from three different plants: kōzo, mitsumata and gampi, the long fibres of which create incredibly durable papers. With a 1500-year old history, a cluster of five villages in Echizen is Japan’s largest washi-making area. According to legend, the method of papermaking was imparted on the locals by a beautiful princess, who mysteriously vanished at the upper reaches of the Okamoto river and became worshipped as Kawakami Gozen, the ancestral deity of papermaking and guardian of the paper production in Japan. These hand-sculpted boxes, resembling stones stacked on river banks, are made of multiple layers of Echizen washi making them surprisingly sturdy and perfect for use as lightweight containers for everyday items.

Chūbu

The central Chūbu region is predominantly mountainous, home to the rugged Japan Alps with coasts on both the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean. The region's history has been shaped by its strategic position between the great cities of Kyoto and Tokyo with Nagoya at its heart. Niigata lies to the north while Mt Fuji can be found in the south in Shizuoka Prefecture.