The exact origins of Inshu Washi are uncertain, but papermaking has a very long history in the former Inaba region.

Documents preserved in the Shosoin from the Nara period include paper believed to have been produced in Inaba. The Engishiki, completed in 927, also lists Inaba among the provinces that supplied paper to the imperial court.

These records indicate that papermaking had already become established in the region more than a thousand years ago.

During the Edo period, the Tottori domain encouraged paper production. Kozo and gampi, important papermaking plants, were protected, and Inshu paper was produced both for official domain use and for everyday purposes.

Papermaking became particularly active in the Hoki area of present-day Aoya and in Saji.

In Saji, one tradition states that during the Kyoho era Nishio Hanemon traveled to Harima to study papermaking techniques and later brought them back to the region. Kozo was initially the principal material, but mitsumata was introduced during the Tenmei era and became widely cultivated as a papermaking material during the Tempo era.

During the Meiji period, bleaching and production techniques were improved. In Saji, mitsumata-based calligraphy and gasenshi papers developed into important regional products.

During the twentieth century, demand for handmade washi declined with the spread of machine-made paper and Western-style paper products. Producers responded by developing papers for calligraphy, painting, craftwork, dyeing, and other specialized uses.

On May 10, 1975, Inshu Washi was designated as a Traditional Craft by the Japanese government.

Today, papermakers in Aoya and Saji continue to preserve traditional techniques using kozo, mitsumata, and gampi.

1. 1. Raw materials Paperbush, paper mulberry, and gampi are the major raw materials of Inshu Washi. After cutting, materials are selected depending on the final product, and soaked in water for some time. Impurities like sand and dust are washed out and the outer black bark is gently stripped off with a knife.
2. 2. Boiling The pulpwood bark contains plenty of cellulose, as well as other substances, and must be boiled to release the long fibers required for papermaking. The bark is soaked again to soften. A steel vat is filled with water, and before boiling, plant matter such as bamboo, straw or hemp, as well as chemicals like caustic soda or soda ash to alkalize the brew are mixed in. The boiling time, generally two to three hours for paper mulberry, varies according to the kind of raw materials and the alkalinity levels. The brew releases a distinctive sweet aroma during this process.
3. 3. Washing and bleaching Boiling helps the solution, made of pectin and lignin, needed to connect bark fibers to dissolve in the water more easily. The fibers are washed again to get rid of any unnecessary material or remaining solution. Finally, the fibers are washed and rinsed in a clear stream to remove remaining imperfections and any impurities are picked out carefully by hand.
4. 4. Beating Beating further breaks down the once joined together fiber tissues. This thorough softening encourages the pulpwood fibers to more easily entwine with each other during papermaking, which will affect the strength and durability of the final product. Fibers subject to a low level of beating will make paper with a rough texture and low density. Nowadays, beating is done by hand or a machine.
5. 5. Papermaking Although all the earlier preparation is crucial to Inshu papermaking, at the heart of this process is the sukibune water tank, and a sieve-like tool, the sugeta. Impurities are removed from the beaten pulp and the right degree of stickiness is achieved by adding a gelatinous mucus made from the roots of a sunset hibiscus plant.
   The water tank is filled with water and pulp, and then stirred. The sieve is used to scoop up fibers and gently agitate them to help them entwine and settle into a uniform thickness. This process is called sukinagashi. Inshu Washi is characterized by the endless repeating of these simple but highly skilled movements to ensure the desired thickness and texture.
6. 6. Dehydration The wet paper is left to dry, so as not to lose their shape. Several hundred sheets are piled up and pressure is applied gradually.
7. 7. Drying After compression, each sheet is carefully peeled off, stuck upon a board using a wide brush to remove any wrinkles, and left to dry in the sun or a drying room.
8. 8. Cutting Each sheet is checked for holes and flaws and then cut to standard sizes according to purpose, such as drawing or writing. This is often done by machine but the traditional hand cutting method, involves the simplest set of tools; a knife, a cutting board, a ruler and lots of ability.