Papel ni Hapon (Paper of Asao) narrates the life of Asao Shimura, a wandering artist, bookmaker, and papermaker from Japan. He traveled across Japan to learn and share his passion for traditional papermaking. Eventually, he made his way to the Philippines and decided to pursue his dream of creating handmade paper in the tranquil mountains of Sitio Poking in Benguet.

For 30 years, he has split his life between Japan and the Philippines. At the age of 73, he continues to explore his creativity and connect with nature using Philippine plant fibers and Japanese papermaking techniques while embracing the culture of the Ibaloi ethnic group.