Japanese paper or "washi" (wa = Japanese, shi = paper) knows almost no limits in its variety. It is suitable for a wide variety of technical and craft applications. For many decades, Japanese paper has found a firm place in paper restoration, bookbinding and high-quality hand printing. Japanese paper is primarily characterised by its high tear resistance and often extremely low paper weight, which is not achieved with European papers. As Japanese papers are usually unsized, they are very absorbent. In Japan itself, the papers are not only used as information carriers, but also for clothing, in the household, for lamps, walls, sliding doors, etc.