“Rice Paper” Is a Misnomer — Here’s What to Call It Instead

The term rice paper is commonly used to refer to a thin, absorbent paper made from plant fibres and used for calligraphy practice, brushwork, ink, printmaking, and mixed media. Despite the name, rice paper is not made from rice.

The phrase rice paper entered English usage through 18th- and 19th-century European trade and published travel writings. Rice was the most familiar staple associated with East Asia and became a blanket term, reflecting oversimplified and culturally reductive thinking. Western merchants also encountered edible rice-based sheets used in food and conflated these with thin papers used for sumi and calligraphy. Because the term rice paper is familiar to buyers, it continues to be used by manufacturers and retailers, even though it does not accurately describe the product.

Sumi Paper, not Rice Paper

Instead of rice paper, it is better to use the term sumi paper as a general catchall. This term is widely understood, materially accurate, and flexible enough to cover a range of papers.

When fibre content or country of origin is known, naming the paper after the fibre itself—such as kōzo or gampi—is the most accurate approach. Sumi paper provides a clear and accurate alternative. When the paper is of Japanese origin, it is better to refer to it as washi rather than using the term “rice paper.”

Washi, not Rice Paper

Washi (wa = Japanese, shi = paper) refers to Japanese paper traditionally made from the long, strong inner bark fibres of three main renewable plants: kōzo (paper mulberry), mitsumata (Edgeworthia), and gampi (Wikstroemia), not rice. These fibres are processed using labour-intensive methods to produce papers prized for strength, absorbency, and translucency.

Using Sumi Paper or Washi with Encaustic

Sumi paper and washi are well-suited for encaustic printmaking and for embedding printed or drawn imagery directly into wax. When fused into encaustic layers, the paper becomes transparent and visually recedes, leaving the image suspended in the wax.

When cataloguing encaustic prints, it is best practice to name the paper by fibre when known, when unsure, list the work as encaustic on paper. For photo encaustic works, where imagery is embedded in the wax, list works as encaustic mixed media or more specifically as encaustic, photograph, sumi paper.

Language shapes how we understand and use our materials. Shifting away from the term rice paper isn’t about being pedantic — it’s about accuracy and clarity. A small change in terminology helps keep the focus where it belongs: on the paper itself, how it behaves, and how we use it in our work.