We are pleased to invite you to the international conference WASHI: Japanese Paper in Collections Outside Japan – Research, Diagnostics, Preservation, and Conservation, taking place on 5–6 November 2026 at the National Museum Conservation and Storage Centre (OMRRK) in Budapest.

The conference brings together international experts in conservation, heritage science, and Japanese art, featuring:

• Keynote lectures by Kyoko Kusunoki (British Museum) and Yoan Rosenziveig (Shōendō)
• Research presentations, conservation case studies, and a professional roundtable
• Guided visits to the OMRRK and the Washi – The Thousand Faces of Japanese Paper exhibition
• Specialised, small-group workshops on Japanese scroll conservation and preventive care

Conference programme, participation fees and ticket purchase:

https://hoppmuseum.hu/en/events/details/384-INTERNATIONAL_CONFERENCE_WASHI_Japanese_Paper_in_Collections_Outside_Japan_Research_Diagnostics_Preservation_and_Conservation

Registration form:
https://nextcloud.szepmuveszeti.hu/index.php/apps/forms/s/nNLPGG5sZAJW9qxdyjbzzcRE

Theme, Objectives, and Scope
WASHI: Japanese Paper in Collections Outside Japan aims to establish a sustainable interdisciplinary framework for the study and preservation of Japanese paper-based objects in Hungary, the broader Central European region, and cultural institutions both in and outside Japan. By connecting Japanese Studies, art history, conservation, and material diagnostics, the conference seeks to strengthen professional knowledge, encourage international exchange, and create a regional knowledge hub for institutions caring for Japanese paper collections outside Japan.
Washi, traditional Japanese paper, inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is a material of deceptive simplicity. Composed of bast fibres from plants such as kōzo, mitsumata, and gampi, it possesses physical and chemical characteristics distinct from European wood-pulp or rag papers. In the context of Asian art, washi is not merely a substrate for imagery: it may function as a structural component, a binding material, and often as an object of art in itself.
European collections hold a vast number of Japanese paper-based artefacts, ranging from books, woodblock prints, handscrolls and hanging scrolls (kakemono) to folding screens (byōbu), manuscripts, maps, albums, stencils, and ritual or everyday paper objects. However, a critical knowledge gap remains in many institutions outside Japan. European conservation curricula have traditionally focused on Western paper traditions. Consequently, many museums and collections lack the specialised expertise required to diagnose biological degradation, mechanical damage, or chemical deterioration specific to Asian papers and mounting structures.
Furthermore, most small- and medium-sized museums cannot send objects to Japan for traditional hyōgu mounting or conservation. This leaves a significant part of Japanese cultural heritage outside Japan in a vulnerable position: stored in conditions often designed for Western artworks, handled within institutional frameworks not always adapted to their material needs, and sometimes affected by earlier repairs that may prove damaging in the long term.

The conference aims to bridge the gap between high-level Japanese expertise and the realities of European museum collections. We ask: How can institutions outside Japan maximise the lifespan of these fragile artworks using available resources, advanced diagnostics, preventive conservation, and chemically compatible minor treatments, without necessarily requiring full-scale intervention in Japan?
The programme will include keynote lectures by invited specialists, including Kyoko Kusunoki, Senior Conservator for Japanese Paintings at the British Museum’s Hirayama Studio, and Yoan Rosenziveig, conservator specialising in Japanese and East Asian paintings, and founder of Shōendō. Their expertise connects Japanese conservation traditions, Western museum practice, and the adaptation of Japanese methods to collections outside Japan. The conference will combine scholarly papers, institutional presentations, a roundtable discussion, and guided visits to the OMRRK facilities and the Washi exhibition at the Ferenc Hopp Museum. The current programme structure includes thematic panels on case studies, regional perspectives, advanced research, and methodology.