You can think of washi tape as a thinner and prettier masking tape. It is usually semi transparent and made from natural fibers of Japanese shrubs such as mitsumata plants, kozo, bamboo, gampi, rice, and mulberry but it can also be made from other materials such as cotton or silk.
Washi tape was originally used by Japanese calligraphers to ornate borders around their pages. It has been used in the US since WWII, when soldiers brought it home as souvenirs from Japan.
Washi tape is used in many different types of crafts, such as scrapbooking, gift wrapping, decorating notebooks, or adding your own personality to everyday items. The cool thing about washi tape is that it is renewable and biodegradable because it is plant based!