[Part 1] Taizo Yamamoto / President & CEO, Yamamoto Paper “I wanted to become a manufacturer rather than just a wholesaler, so we started creating original products.”

Yamamoto Paper, headquartered in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, is a paper wholesaler. Founded in 1972,the company has focused primarily on wholesale distribution, but in 2010 it launched its own original paper products. Today, It has fans all over the world as a stationery manufacturer. We spoke with Taizo Yamamoto, the second-generation President and CEO, about his commitment to paper and the company's journey into stationery manufacturing.

In this interview, he shares rich and fascinating stories about paper.

Taizo Yamamoto

President & CEO, Yamamoto Paper.　With the goal of becoming “Japan's number one paper company,” he works to spread the appeal of paper through original products, overseas exhibitions, and event organization.

Every type of paper has Its own recipe

— Yamamoto Paper is a family business, and you are the second generation. Did you take over the company?

Yes. My father founded the company. His family originally ran a farm. He was the youngest of six siblings, and while his brothers inherited the farm, my father chose to become a salaried employee. He joined Kawabata Paper, where his older sister worked, and later became independent. That's how it all started.

— Are there many paper wholesalers in Osaka?

Possibly because there are so many small printing companies. Our basic role is to supply paper to them. We deliver the required quantity of paper at the exact timing needed for printing. We receive orders like, ‘We have this print job today, so bring this size and type of paper at this time,’ and then we deliver it. Since we're a paper wholesaler, we keep a wide variety of paper stocked in our warehouse so we can respond quickly to most requests.

— When the company was founded, was demand for paper higher than it is today?

In 1972, Japan's economy was on a steady upward trend. Printing companies were extremely busy. Even when I was a child, I remember people working until 10 or 11 at night cutting paper and preparing shipments. Books, magazines, newspapers, school booklets, local community magazines—paper was the main medium for conveying information widely. Local supermarkets would decide their sale items a week in advance and issue flyers to coincide with the sale days, distributing them as newspaper inserts across the area. Paper media also played a major role in advertising.

— Before the internet became widespread, magazines and TV were the main sources of information. Yamamoto Paper doesn't actually manufacture paper itself, correct?

That's right. Paper is made by paper manufacturers. Specialized trading companies act as agents, and wholesalers like us sit below them. We then supply printing companies. In some exceptional cases, we purchase directly from traditional Japanese paper manufacturers.

— Do you ever ask paper manufacturers to create specific types of paper for you?

Most of our customers are local printing companies, so we mainly use existing paper. However, companies in Tokyo that distribute paper to publishers may receive requests like, ‘Publishers want this kind of paper—can you develop it?’ That kind of conversation does happen.

— When I read The Great Passage by Shion Miura, I was struck by scenes showing repeated discussions between publishers and printers about the paper used for dictionaries.

For dictionaries, there are probably requests like ‘We want a good page-turning feel.’ The printer talks to the paper distributor, who then consults with the paper manufacturer. Paper is typically produced in lots of around 50 metric ton per type. If one dictionary weighs about 800 grams, that's roughly 62,500 copies. That might be feasible for publishing, but local printing companies usually deal with much smaller quantities. So unless there's demand for the full 50 metric ton, new paper can't be produced. That's a pretty high hurdle.

— Given today's environment, that number of copies would be difficult for some publications. This may be a basic question, but are the raw materials the same for all paper?

Not at all. Every paper has a different recipe. For example, brown and white envelopes need to be strong and resistant to tearing even when wet. For that, we want long fibers, which come from softwood pulp. Softwood trees grow slowly, so envelope paper uses a higher proportion of softwood mixed with hardwood to maintain balance. Because softwood grows slowly, it's more expensive and harder to supply. To reduce costs, eucalyptus pulp is sometimes used. Eucalyptus can be harvested in six or seven years, so it's cheaper than traditional hardwoods. The paper tears a bit more easily, but it meets certain needs.

— So each type of paper really has its own recipe.

Exactly. General copy paper uses mostly hardwood pulp. It's not suitable for long-term storage. Important documents like stock certificates, securities, and contracts must still be intact even 80 years later. For those, durability is essential. That's why traditional Japanese paper is often used. Its raw materials include “Kouzo” and “Mitsumata”, which have strong fibers. Family registers, for example, are made of washi. These days many records are digitized, though.

— Election ballots also use special paper, don't they?

Yes, that's Yupo paper. There are many types of Yupo—yogurt cups and liquor labels are also made from it. It's water-resistant. Election Yupo paper is not only good for writing with pencils, but also has the advantage that folded ballots automatically open inside the ballot box. With regular paper, ballots stay folded, but Yupo unfolds by itself, eliminating the need to open them manually.

— That's fascinating—it's not just about ease of writing.

We've worked on election-related projects before. Paper manufacturers must report exactly how many sheets were delivered, how many ballots were produced, and how many were discarded due to printing errors. Even a single discrepancy could undermine trust in election results. The same applies to local vouchers and similar items. Anti-counterfeiting paper and holograms are used, and there are technologies to prevent forgery.

— There's so much ingenuity in just one sheet of paper. Can notebooks be made with Yupo?

Yes. Waterproof English vocabulary books, disaster maps, and golf scorecards are often made with Yupo. They're valued for their durability and ability to be written on even when wet.

Craftsmanship shines through the characteristics of each paper

— About how many types of paper do you keep in stock?

We usually keep around 500 varieties in regular inventory.

— 500! Do they all have different characteristics?

Yes. For example, when making a book, you might want a firm cover and thinner pages inside. Even within the same type of paper, we prepare different thicknesses. The thickness affects print quality—one paper might look glossy, another matte. Each of those 500 varieties has its own characteristics.

— Novels can use thin paper, but picture books use much thicker paper.

That's also related to binding. Picture books need paper that opens flat. Paper fibers usually run vertically, but for picture books or photo-heavy books, we don't want the center to curl. By running the fibers horizontally, the book opens flat. School albums are made the same way. That's why we carefully discuss the final format and paper requirements with printers from the beginning. The choice of paper greatly affects the final result.

— I'd love to see your warehouse someday.

I've seen it since childhood, so it feels normal to me. But younger employees find warehouses stacked with paper fascinating. The look and feel of each paper is different, and paper lovers really get excited about it. (laughs)

— I can imagine! Is paper colored from the beginning, or is white paper dyed later?

There are both types—paper dyed at the raw material stage and paper colored afterward. Origami paper is the latter. There’s a paper called ‘Tant’ that comes in 200 colors. It was created by graphic designer Ikko Tanaka, who thought it would be nice to have a color palette made of paper. All of it is dyed. In the past, it was hard to maintain consistent color, but today recipes ensure reproducibility so the same colors can always be supplied. Even though pulp sources vary—from Canada one time, Australia another—the final quality remains consistent thanks to the improved skills of craftsmen.

Taking the initiative to do what others won't

— With the rise of the internet, digital media has become dominant, and fewer people read books on paper. When did you start to feel this shift?

There were predictions around 2000 that media would go digital. Still, many believed books, newspapers, and flyers would never disappear. I really started to feel the shift around 2015.

— That's relatively recent.

Facebook launched in Japan around the time of the 2008 Lehman Shock, which is also when the first iPhone was released. Back in the feature phone era, society wasn't that digital. Once people started using iPhones, SNS and YouTube spread, and people spent more time touching smartphones than paper. That's when the change really became apparent. Publishing may be similar—people believed books would continue to sell.

— Did you start making original products around the same time as this digital shift?

We started original products in 2009 or 2010. Before that, we were making bags, suitcases, and carry cases using a lightweight but durable material called Pasco. It started when a traveling theater troupe asked us to make unbreakable costume cases. That product was well received, and we expanded into business goods.

— So that was your first original product.

Yes. To become a manufacturer rather than just a paper wholesaler, we started exhibiting at gift shows. It was unusual for a paper wholesaler to attend such exhibitions, so people were surprised. Pasco products became the catalyst for a new division at Yamamoto Paper. I handled the design, while factories did the manufacturing. Wanting to expand what we could do ourselves, we turned our focus to stationery.

— What was your first original stationery product?

The RO-BIKI NOTE. A lifestyle goods company asked us to propose a cover that would become the face of their catalog. We suggested waxed paper. At first, we weren't sure if it could be properly bound, but through the process we learned the precautions and techniques needed. The client appreciated the texture they were looking for. I thought, ‘This is probably something only we can do.’ Other companies wouldn't bother with such a troublesome process. (laughs) That's when I knew we had found something.

— What are the characteristics of waxed paper?

Waxing involves soaking paper with melted wax, which improves water and oil resistance. It was traditionally used for food wrappers or machine covers, but demand declined as films replaced it. What makes it special is the wrinkles and discoloration that create a vintage look. Around that time, Traveler's Notebooks were becoming popular, and I liked the idea of aging and developing a personal patina. Waxed paper allowed us to express that through paper.

Yamamoto Paper launched its original stationery line in 2010, expanded overseas, and continued to grow. In Part 2, we will explore the secrets behind its international success and discuss its latest flagship series, CANOPUS NOTE.

(Interview & text: Natsumi Nakayama)