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INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE WASHI: Japanese Paper in Collections Outside Japan – Research, Diagnostics, Preservation, and Conservation
Date: 5–6 November 2026
Venue: Budapest Museum of Fine Arts – National Museum Conservation and Storage Centre (OMRRK), Building C
Address: 33–35 Szabolcs Street, Budapest, H-1135, Hungary
Conference language: English.
The conference will be held in person.
Organised by the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts and the National Museum Conservation and Storage Centre, Budapest, in connection with the exhibition Washi – The Thousand Faces of Japanese Paper, held at the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts from 25 September 2026 to 31 January 2027. The project is supported by the Japan Foundation, Grant Program for Japanese Studies Projects.
Theme, Objectives, and Scope
The conference 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.
Preliminary programme:
https://hoppmuseum.hu/files/inlineattachments/Preliminary_programme_Washi_FINAL_0.pdf
Registration and ticket purchase
Conference participation requires BOTH the purchase of a conference pass AND completion of the registration form.
TICKET:
https://ligetplusz.hu/international-conference-hopp-2026
After purchasing your ticket, please complete the registration form and provide your purchased ticket number. If you purchase a student pass, please upload proof of current higher education enrolment in the registration form.
REGISTRATION:
https://nextcloud.szepmuveszeti.hu/index.php/apps/forms/s/nNLPGG5sZAJW9qxdyjbzzcRE
Conference passes
Full conference pass, 2 days: 120 EUR / 44,000 HUF
Student conference pass, 2 days: 60 EUR / 22,000 HUF
The conference pass includes:
1. Two-day access to the WASHI conference
2. Access to all presentations and roundtable discussions
3. Guided tour of the National Museum Conservation and Storage Centre
4. Guided tour of the exhibition Washi – The Thousand Faces of Japanese Paper at the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts on 6 November
5. Free weekend entrance to the Washi exhibition at the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts on 7–8 November
6. Coffee breaks, refreshments, and buffet lunch on the conference days
Please note: the conference pass does not include workshop participation. Workshop tickets must be purchased separately.
Workshops:
Introduction to the handling, housing and exhibition of Japanese hanging scrolls and handscrolls
Two small-group workshops will be held on Friday, 6 November 2026. Workshop availability is very limited, so make sure to buy your ticket on time!
The workshops will demonstrate the proper handling, examination, and preventive care of Japanese paper-based objects, using selected works from the Ferenc Hopp Museum’s collection. Through objects in varying conditions and degrees of damage, participants will observe the challenges that may arise during storage, handling, display, and long-term preservation. The workshops aim to provide practical guidance on what can be done safely in an institutional setting, what precautions are necessary, and when the assistance of a specialised conservator should be sought.
Workshop with Yoan Rosenziveig, conservator specialising in Japanese and East Asian paintings, and founder of Shōendō
Friday, 6 November, 14:15–15:45 Workshop fee: 80 EUR / 30,000 HUF
Workshop with Kyoko Kusunoki, Senior Conservator for Japanese Paintings at the British Museum’s Hirayama Studio
Friday, 6 November, 16:00–17:30 Workshop fee: 80 EUR / 30,000 HUF
Workshop tickets are available separately from the conference pass. The workshop fee includes access to one 90-minute small-group workshop, including theoretical and practical elements, tools, observation of selected artefacts, and Q&A.
Registration form (see above):
All participants are kindly asked to complete the registration form after purchasing their ticket. The form collects the information necessary for conference administration, including ticket number, affiliation, workshop registration, dietary restrictions, food allergies, accessibility requests, and GDPR consent for photo, video, and audio documentation during the conference.
Important note for student participants
Participants purchasing a student pass are required to upload proof of current higher education enrolment in the registration form.
For questions regarding registration, please contact:
[email protected]
We warmly invite you to join us in Budapest for two days of lectures, discussions, workshops, and professional exchange dedicated to the research, diagnostics, preservation, and conservation of Japanese paper in collections outside Japan.
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Event venue
Vágány utca 4, Budapest 1135, Magyarország, Vágány utca 6, Budapest 1135, Magyarország, Budapest, Hungary
Tickets
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