Karakami paper that adorns Shinto shrines, Buddist temples and tearooms

Simply put, Kyo-karakami is a type of woodblock print which uses printing blocks hand-carved on magnolia wood with traditional patterns passed down from ancient times. It is produced by a traditional method where coloring materials called kira (mica) and gofun (white pigment) are added to its surface, and the design is copied with the palm of the hand by overlaying it onto washi paper or torinoko (lustrous and smooth paper) one sheet at a time. To this day, Maruni continues to use printing blocks from the Tempo Era (1830-1844) and protects the patterns, coloring materials, tools, and traditions of old.