Traditional Japanese Specialty Papers

Thanks to Japan's rich tradition of papermaking, many Japanese papers don't fit neatly into categories covered on other pages of International Paper Sizes. Thus EDS Inc., Editorial & Design Services, has gathered them together under the rubric "Specialty Papers." Here we record measurements of papers for photographic prints and of selected common traditional papers. Few artisans now produce traditional handmade Japanese papers. Mass-produced imitations of most traditional papers are widely available.

Note that in the interest of legibility, Japanese terms are not italicized in tables. Also note that in transliterating Japanese, standard Japanese keyboarding is used to represent sustained vowels (those normally accented with macrons when romanized), e.g., "ou" usually represents a sustained "o," but it can also represent two discrete syllables. If precise pronunciation distinctions are important, please consult a Japanese-English dictionary or a native speaker of Japanese.

Papers for Photographic Prints		Washi

Contemporary Stationery		Wrapping and Book Binding Papers

Papers for Photographic Prints Metric measurements are the cut sheet size; Inch measurements are approximate (calculated at 25.4 mm = 1 inch and rounded off).

Common Name	Trade Name	MM	Inches	Usage and Comments
Zenshi	JP 18 x 22	457 x 560	18 x 22 1/16	Zenshi is literally "full sheet"
Han-kiri	JP 14 x 17	356 x 432	14 x 17	Han-kiri is literally "1/2 sheet"
Yotsu-giri	JP 10 x 12	254 x 305	10 x 12	Yotsu-giri is literally "1/4 sheet"
Mutsu-giri	JP 8 x 10	203 x 254	8 x 10	Mutsu-giri is literally "1/6 sheet"
Yatsu-giri	JP 6 1/2 x 8 1/2	165 x 216	6 1/2 x 8 1/2	Yatsu-giri is literally "1/8 sheet"
Dai Kyabine	JP 13 cm x 18 cm	130 x 180	5 1/8 x 7 1/16	Dai Kyabine is "large cabinet" size
Kyabine	JP 4 3/4 x 6 1/2	120 x 165	4 3/4 x 6 1/2	Kyabine is "cabinet" size
Nimai-gake	JP 4 x 5	102 x 127	4 x 5	Nimai-gake (literally "half-plate sheet film") is commonly called "shi no go" (literally "4 by 5")
Posutokaado	JP 3 1/2 x 5 1/2	89 x 140	3 1/2 x 5 1/2	Posutokaado means "postcard"*
Dai Tefuda	JP 9 cm x 13 cm	90 x 130	3 9/16 x 5 1/8	Dai Tefuda is literally "large playing card"; Saabisu means "service"; Tefuda is literally "playing card"; these three (and close variants) are the sizes normally delivered to consumers as snapshot prints
Saabisu	--	82 x 114	3 1/4 x 4 1/2
Tefuda	--	76 x 112	3 x 4 7/16
Dai Meishi	JP 6.5 cm x 9 cm	65 x 90	2 9/16 x 3 9/16	Dai Meishi is literally "large business card" size
* N.B. The standard size of postcards in Japan is 100 mm x 148 mm (3 15/16" x 5 13/16")

Contemporary Stationery Width precedes height; Metric measurements are the trimmed sheet size; Inch measurements are approximate (calculated at 25.4 mm = 1 inch and rounded off).

Name	MM	Inches	Usage and Comments
A4	210 x 297	8 1/4 x 11 11/16	JIS A4, the same size as ISO A4
B5	182 x 257	7 3/16 x 10 1/8	JIS B5, slightly larger than ISO B5
Kokusai-ban	216 x 280	8 1/5 x 11	Kokusai-ban is literally "international size," i.e., US letter size
Semi B5 or Hyoujun-gata	177 x 250	7 x 9 13/16	Formerly called Hyoujun-gata ("standard size"), Semi B5 is almost identical to ISO B5
Oo-gata	177 x 230	7 x 9 1/16	Oo-gata is literally "large size"
Chuu-gata	162 x 210	6 3/8 x 8 1/4	Chuu-gata is literally "medium size"
Ko-gata	148 x 210	5 13/16 x 8 1/4	Ko-gata is literally "small size"
Ippitsu sen	82 x 185	3 1/4 x 7 1/4	Ippitsu sen is literally "note paper"

Washi Reflecting its versatility, washi (traditionally made from fibers of the kouzo, mitsumata, and gampi plants) is available in a broad range of sizes; Only trade-sheet sizes of interest to the publishing and printing industries are listed here; Metric measurements are the trade-sheet size; Inch measurements are approximate (calculated at 25.4 mm = 1 inch and rounded off).

Name	MM	Inches	Usage and Comments
Hanshi	242 x 343	9 1/2 x 13 1/5	Hanshi ("half sheet") is used for calligraphy and as text paper in Japanese-style books
Mino	273 x 394	10 3/4 x 15 1/2	Mino (named after its place of manufacture, in Gifu Prefecture) is used for calligraphy and as text paper in Japanese-style books
Oohousho	394 x 530	15 1/2 x 20 7/8	Oohousho ("large housho"), Chuuhousho ("mid-size housho"), and Kohousho ("small housho"), soft, thick, high-grade papers, are used for calligraphy and as text paper in Japanese-style books
Chuuhousho	364 x 500	14 5/16 x 19 11/16
Kohousho	333 x 470	13 1/8 x 18 1/2
Nishi no Uchi	333 x 485	13 1/8 x 19 1/16	Nishi no Uchi (named after its place of manufacture, in Ibaraki Prefecture) is a strong, rough-textured paper
Fusuma	939 x 1757	36 15/16 x 69 1/8	Fusuma-size paper (large enough for cover- ing sliding doors/room partitions) is available in a wide variety of grades and finishes

Wrapping and Book Binding Papers Metric measurements are the trade-sheet size; Inch measurements are approximate (calculated at 25.4 mm = 1 inch and rounded off). N.B. The first five papers here are types of washi.

Name	MM	Inches	Usage and Comments
Oohousho	394 x 530	15 1/2 x 20 7/8	Oohousho ("large housho"), Chuuhousho ("mid-size housho"), and Kohousho ("small housho"), soft, thick, high-grade papers, are used for calligraphy and as text paper in Japanese-style books
Chuuhousho	364 x 500	14 5/16 x 19 11/16
Kohousho	333 x 470	13 1/8 x 18 1/2
Chiyogami	640 x 970	25 3/16 x 38 3/16	Chiyogami (decorated with woodblock-printed or stenciled patterns) and Momigami (crinkled paper) are used in various crafts, wrapping informal gifts, binding Japanese-style books, and covering boxes and slipcases
Momigami	640 x 970	25 3/16 x 38 3/16
Chuu raisu or Usugami	506 x 758	19 15/16 x 29 13/16	Chuu raisu ("medium rice paper") or Usu- gami ("thin paper") is used for backing and hinges in Japanese-style books
Kibouru homban	636 x 758	25 1/16 x 29 13/16	Kibouru homban ("true yellow paperboard") is an unbleached paperboard used for book binding
Kibouru shimban	712 x 803	28 x 31 5/8	Kibouru shimban ("new yellow paperboard") is an unbleached paperboard used for cases and slipcases

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Traditional Japanese Specialty Papers

An Annotated Miscellany