Toso (the mixture of sawdust of paulownia wood and wheat starch) (桐塑)

Toso is a kind of clay.

Toso is the clay made by mixing sawdust of paulownia with shofu-nori (wheat starch paste) and is sometimes blended with washi (Japanese paper) in order to provide strength.

Immediately after mixing, it is soft, but it increases in strength when dried.

As it has better detail reproducibility than soil clay and its surface can be carved like wood, it is used for mass production of wood carving.

[Original Japanese]