The GRAYSKY project's washi calendar, "A Year of Remembering Papermaking," is now on sale at West Park on the 5th floor of the Isetan Shinjuku Main Building.

The GRAYSKY project creates spaces for people to connect through the unique culture of the Sea of Japan region (food, alcohol, and crafts), and works to pass on Japan's unique culture to future generations.

The calendar, created with the theme of "passing on the culture of papermaking," was born from the desire to preserve papermaking (the art of handmade washi paper), one of Japan's world-renowned traditional cultures, for future generations. It uses washi paper from 14 regions across Japan, including Honmino paper from Gifu Prefecture and Hosokawa paper from Saitama Prefecture, both registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, as well as Izumo folk paper from Shimane Prefecture, Echizen washi paper from Fukui Prefecture, and Kaga ganpishi paper from Ishikawa Prefecture. The unique texture of each paper is expressed through letterpress printing using gradations. The calendar is bound in a hemp leaf pattern using warm, naturally dyed silk thread, and the design, which takes advantage of the unique transparency of Japanese paper, is designed to make the passage of time seem to blend into the act of turning the pages.

This product won the highest award, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award (3rd category, Gold Award) at the 68th National Calendar Exhibition, and the Gold Award at the Gregor Calendar Award 2017, an international calendar exhibition held in Germany. The calendar starts in April (April 2017 to March 2018) and is priced at 30,000 yen. It will be on sale until March 31st.