Washi is a general term for a unique type of paper developed in Japan. Originally, it was made by hand using raw plant materials such as kozo, fittingly known in English as "paper mulberry," mitsumata, and gampi, all of which are native to Japan. Today, most of the paper produced in Japan is Western paper, which is made mainly from wood using methods imported from the West. In contrast, washi paper is made from traditional Japanese materials, using traditional manufacturing methods.