Katagami are the stencils used to create layers of design on traditional Japanese kimono. Each one is cut by hand, either with a free-hand knife or a sharp and tiny punch tool. They are made from one or two sheets of heavy paper and then covered with persimmon juice to add strength and moisture resistance. (For delicate designs, two sheets of paper were stacked and cut together, then a thin silk screen was placed between them before fusing the papers together with persimmon juice.) Nowadays, more durable plastic versions are used, but these older paper stencils are often still usable in addition to being a work of art.

See video below for how these stencils are made. We also recommend this book, Carved Paper by Suzanna Campbell Kuo, as one of the best English reference books on katagami.