Washi, or Japanese handmade paper, has long held a central role in Japanese culture. The rich history and striking diversity of washi are explored in this extensively-illustrated book through images and discussion of two washi collections. The juxtaposition of examples from the 19th-century Parkes collection held in the Economic Botany Collection at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and a contemporary Kyoto-based collection provides a compelling overview of the decorative motifs and techniques used in this thousand-year-old Japanese art form and craft.