International Course on Conservation of Japanese Paper 2024
The International Course on Conservation of Japanese Paper (JPC) 2024 took place from August 26 to September 13, 2024, co-organized by ICCROM and the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN), continuing a tradition we have upheld since 1992. Through this three-week course, participants engaged in a comprehensive study on the methods that have been used to preserve paper cultural properties in Japan. The primary goal of the JPC course is to encourage participants to incorporate Japanese conservation techniques into their conservation efforts worldwide, while understanding the techniques in Japanese contexts. This year, we invited ten specialists from Armenia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Malta, Mexico, The Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, and the US, selected from 165 applicants across 60 countries.
This JPC course consisted of lectures, practical workshops, and a study tour. During the lectures, the participants explored the protection systems for cultural properties in Japan, the characteristics of Japanese paper, and the traditional tools and materials used in conservation, such as wheat starch paste and Japanese brushes.
For the practical sessions, technical masters from a group, whose techniques called “Restoration Techniques for Mounts” were officially selected as the Selected Conservation Techniques (National), join as lecturers. The participants gained hands-on experience in restoration processes by creating a kansu (handscroll).
The second week featured a study tour to the Chubu (central) and Kinki (southern-central) regions of Japan. Highlights included observing the use of byōbu (folding screens) and fusuma (sliding doors), in a traditional setting at Nagoya Castle. The tour also took the participants to Mino, where they witnessed the papermaking processes of Honminoshi, a technique designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan. Additionally, the participants visited a traditional restoration studio in Kyoto that has been operating since the Edo period (1603-1867).
In the final week, the focus shifted back to practical work on the structure and handling of kakejiku (hanging scrolls), folding screens, and handscrolls.
In the post-course questionnaires, many participants expressed that they had gained a deeper understanding of the use of Japanese paper for conservation purposes. We hope that the techniques and knowledge acquired through this JPC course will be disseminated and adapted in the conservation and restoration of cultural properties overseas, and thereby contribute to their enhanced protection.