Japanese handmade paper. In the Nara period, paper was generally formed with fibers from paper mulberry (kōzo) or hemp (asa) and some very fine paper from ganpi. Paper was a luxury at the time and used variously-for writing, and also as a lining for boxes, a core for mats, and a wrap to secure the bristles in a writing brush. Some papers were decorative, being beautifully dyed, printed or painted. The writing papers used for government reports were often recycled (hogoshi) to the Scriptorium so their reverse sides could be used as well. See also Mashi.