According to the "the origin and the history of rakusui-shi production" written by Kozo TAMURA, the fifth head of the Tamagawa-do Store, 'While domestic Chinese paper production requires a large amount of materials and labor, Chinese paper made in China is cheaper. In addition, the usage of Western paper is increasing more and more, which can interfere with continuing this domestic Chinese paper production over a long period. Thus, this "rakusui-shi" paper was invented as a result of tremendous trials of designs and ideas during the first year of the Meiji period (1868). Now, "Tamagawa" is only valid as a store name, and a paper mill has been operated in Sugamo village, named after a waterfowl, which is located in the north end of Tokyo where birds sing. We have produced this paper every day as our principal occupation. This paper, however, was not completely invented by myself. The original idea was hit upon by the previous head (Sakichi TAMURA) and I completed it. Because his pseudonym was "Rakusui," I named this paper as "rakusui-shi" after him.'
玉川堂五代目田村綱造の『楽水紙製造起源及び沿革』によると、「和製唐紙の原料及び労力の多きに比し、支邦製唐紙の安価なると、西洋紙の使途ますます多きに圧され、この製唐紙業の永く継続し得べからざるより、ここに明治初年大いに意匠工夫を凝らしし結果、この楽水紙といふ紙を製することを案出し、今は玉川も名のみにて、鳥が鳴く東の京の北の端なる水鳥の巣鴨の村に一つの製紙場を構え、日々この紙を漉くことをもて専業とするに至れり。もっとも此の紙は全く余が考案せしものにはあらず、その源は先代（田村佐吉）に萌し、余がこれを大成せしものなれば、先代号を楽水といへるより、これをそのまま取りて楽水紙と名ずける。」とある。