Learn about Traditional Japanese Bookbinding Method Wasoubon

About a 和装本(Wasoubon)

A Wasoubon is how to make the traditional book currently performed in Japan.
It is also called 和本 (Wahon).

Fundamentally, there are the following features.

  • There is no back cover.
  • A page is summarized with thread.
  • A character and a picture are described only in one side of paper.

Although paste is used partially, the thread is in the mainstream summarizing a page.
Even if it sees the old book to possess, all are filed with the thread.
Also when refiling with the thread by people’s possessed hand, it is often, but occasionally the thread with that time can also be seen.
It will become a wonderful feeling if the substance which passed time to exceed 100 years easily is seen.

The kind of Japanese bookbinding

There are some methods of filing a Wasoubon with thread.
It changes depending on how to let the number of holes, and thread pass.
Specifically, the following names stick.

  • 四つ目綴じ(Yotume-toji)
  • 三つ目綴じ(Mitume-toji)
  • 康熙綴じ(Kouki-toji)
  • 亀甲綴じ(Kilttkou-toji)

Thread may be repaired when a traditional book is gained.
In that case, please refile with thread, referring to the way from the first of filing.

Although I have refiled many volumes, if it cares, it can refile in a better form.
Thread of the color which hid so that it might not be visible in a ball stop, or suited the cover is looked for.
Although old thread is also important, it can be said that the duty of filing a book was fulfilled.
Let’s also exchange decisively the meaning from which he is excused.

There is the method of, of course reusing thread of those days.
However, on experience, the thread is weak and cannot fully achieve a duty.
It must be better to have used as as it is as possible, and to replace all more, if impossible, and if it will become.

The present Japanese bookbinding

The book published by the process of Japanese bookbinding even now exists.

The Buddhistic Buddhist scripture is also used except the reprinted edition of an old book.
Although there are probably also historical implications, soft bookbinding of Japanese bookbinding suits in people’s hand well.

Softness which is a book in Western style and it does not obtain.
However, thread is stronger than imagination and keeps bearing long years.
And exchange is easy.

Now, the most is the bookbinding method which is called simple bookbinding and which attaches paste to the back of a book and it fixes to it.
Although this is suitable for mass production, durability is low and it is not suitable for mothballing.

Book in Western style

The book made by the Western bookbinding method is called book in Western style to a Wasoubon.

It is like an example of the feature of a book in Western style being the following.

  • In almost all cases, a character and a picture are described in both sides.
  • A cover, the back, and a back cover exist.
  • There is bookbinding without wire or thread besides thread.

Now, almost all the books published in Japan are books in Western style.
However, it is the simple bookbinding mentioned above in many cases, and differs from the image of the anticipation book as used in an old book.

A binding of a book in Western style

I think whether the old book of the foreign book generally imagined is a profound leather binding.
Although it is also actually a book in Western style, it is not a figure published when the most.

Although it exists as a custom even now, the binding of an old foreign book is given after a buyer’s purchasing.
A binding contractor is requested and an original binding of it is given.
Oneself liking is made to make all of the design of a material, a title, etc. which are used for a binding, decoration of a book, etc.

A book of those days is not mass consumption in mass production, and is used for a long period of time by small-lot production.
Depending on the case, it also succeeds from generation to generation for every home.

A binding is ordered applying money and time and effort just because it is valued for a long period of time.