It is said that 1,500 years ago, a beautiful princess appeared along the Okamoto River near this village and taught the people here the technique of making washi paper. 　During the Nara period, washi paper was incredibly important for copying Buddhist sutras. 　From the Muromachi to the Edo period, techniques improved and the quantity of washi paper produced increased, leading to the creation of high quality papers such as Echizen hosho. With patronage from the feudal government and local feudal lords, the washi paper industry here developed even further.
　Today, traditional Japanese papermaking continues to be supported in Echizen by numerous artists such as Taikan Yokoyama. Echizen is famous as a center for Japanese washi paper throughout the country.