Toratake Washi Letter Set

■Size: <Letter Paper> Approximately 14.8×21cm, 10 sheets included <Envelope> Approximately 16×11.4cm, 5 sheets included ■Material: Tiger bamboo, pulp (softwood) ■Country of Origin: Made in Japan, domestically produced bamboo paper made from Japan's only tiger bamboo Bamboo fiber paper has actually been made since ancient times. The process of crushing bamboo into fibers and turning it into washi is fundamentally similar to natural materials like kozo and mitsumata. Since bamboo is a familiar plant, processing it into washi may have been a natural thing to do. If we are to create bamboo washi, we definitely want to use Japan's only tiger bamboo. Together with local Tosa washi artisans in Kochi, we deliver unique tiger bamboo washi that only we can create. Japan's only Tosa tiger bamboo (Torabamboo) is classified as a member of the Hachiku family and is a mysterious bamboo that only grows in the tiger bamboo village of Anwa, Susaki City, Kochi Prefecture, where tiger patterns appear on the surface of the stalks. There is a theory that this pattern is caused by parasitic fungi or sea breezes adhering to the trunk, but it has not yet been scientifically clarified. Attempts to transplant it to various regions have been made, but for some reason, the patterns did not appear. In 1911, the leading botanists of Japan submitted a petition to the government to protect the nearly extinct tiger bamboo. This became the catalyst for the issuance of the Natural Monument Ordinance, and the Natural Monument Preservation Law was enacted, designating tiger bamboo as the first natural monument. Overseas media also came to cover the "Miracle Bamboo." The left photo shows tiger bamboo in its natural state. When this tiger bamboo is heated with a gas burner, the oil released from the bamboo makes the tiger pattern clearly visible, as seen in the right photo. Overseas media visited the tiger bamboo village to cover this rare tiger bamboo, repeatedly exclaiming "Miracle!" The connection of the bamboo artisans' thoughts with tiger bamboo. The bamboo harvesting season is from autumn to late January. During this period, tiger bamboo is harvested in bulk for the entire year. Bamboo artisans enter steep mountain paths with transport machines, cutting and carrying heavy, long bamboo all day. After selecting by size and quality, they perform bamboo processing tasks such as oil extraction with a gas burner and straightening. To