April 14, 2009
by Shiori Kadowaki and Wakako Kurimoto
In Origami 1, we introduced origami .
In Origami 2, we will introduce how to enjoy origami works
in our daily life and the meaning of a “paper crane”.
Important points to remember for making a beautiful work of origami:
- Crease folds tightly.
- Line up paper edges exactly.
- Work patiently.
- Make your work with a lot of love.
How to make a paper crane
1 fold a square piece of paper into a triangle.
2 fold again to make a smaller triangle.
3 open up the pocket and fold so that the shape looks like the one in the picture.
4 turn the paper over and repeat what you did in 3 and make a square.
5 fold both right and left sides to the center.
6 turn the paper over and do the same.
7 fold down the top part of the triangle.
8 open up the folds until you have a square (see 4).
9 pull bottom point up to the top and fold.
10 turn the paper over and do the same as you did in 9 (you should fold the triangle part down).
11 now, the shape is a diamond, like in the picture.
12 fold both right and left sides to the center.
13 turn the paper over and do the same.
14 fold the left side over to the right side.
15 turn the paper over and do the same as you did in 14.
16 bring the bottom side up to the top.
17 turn the paper over and do the same as you did in 16.
18 turn the left side to the right side.
19 turn the paper over and do the same.
20 pull out the thin triangular parts and fold the top part of one of them to the side so that it can be the crane’s face.
21 then, open the wings. That’s all !!!
How can we enjoy origami in daily life
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for greeting cards
When you send a greeting card, why not include a work of origami? For example, if you want to send a Christmas card,you can make a Santa Claus, a Christmas tree, a star and so on, and put them in the card. By doing so, a card will become very unique. In Japan, there are 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac, so some people make an animal and put it in their New Year’s card.
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for decoration
You can decorate your house with origami. For example, you can make seasonal flowers and put them on the wall, or on the table and so on. Even a flower brightens up your house. You can also feel seasons by making a strawberry, a tulip, a butterfly ― they make us feel sweet spring. A sunflower, a beetle, a goldfish ― they make us feel the hot summer. A pumpkin, a witch, a ghost ― they make us feel Halloween in fall. A Santa Claus, a tree covered with snow, or a present under the tree ― they make us feel Christmas in winter. If you make them and display in your house, your life will be enriched. Origami really enables you to have a wonderful time!
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for presents
You can make a lot of things with origami, so ask someone who you want to say “thank you” to, what he/she likes so that you can make it in origami. If a person says, “I like flowers,” why don’t you make them a bouquet? If a person says, “I like animals,” you can make a small zoo. If a person likes a particular animation character, why don’t you make it? Faces that express pleasure are so beautiful. Don’t you want to see them?May your circle of relationships be widened by origami!
Senbazuru and Japanese History
In Japan, people make and present senbazuru. To make senbazuru, people fold a thousand paper cranes, and tie them together with string. In Japanese, there is an old proverb: “cranes can live a thousand years and turtles can live ten thousand years.” From this saying, the crane became a symbol for a long, happy life. From this idea, people began to make senbazuru with good wishes for another person. There is a sad story about senbazuru that really happened during the war years.
On August, 1945, atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Many people lost their precious lives in a moment. Although some people were not injured at that time, there were many people who suffered from aftereffects of the atomic bombs. Sadako Sasaki was one of them. When she was two years old, the atomic bombs were dropped. Fortunately, she wasn’t injured, and grew up to be a cheerful girl. She was popular in school and everyone loved her. However, when she was 11 years old, she suddenly was diagnosed with leukemia, which had been caused by the atomic bomb. Her long struggle with leukemia then began.
One day, a colorful senbazuru was presented to the hospital where she was staying. It was a gift from Nagoya city. They gave it with the wish for Sadako and other patients to get well. She saw it and started making senbazuru with the strong wish of curing her disease. She began making paper cranes from her medicine wrappers. Her senbazuru was completed in a month, but she continued to make cranes day after day. However, her disease was getting worse, and unfortunately, she passed away on October 25th, 1955.
Children’s Peace Monument
The Children’s Peace Monument is in Hiroshima. The idea behind this monument originated with Sadako’s school friends. They wanted to make this monument as a cenotaph for Sadako and children who were killed in the war. Each year, many people visit it and present senbazuru for sick and injured children. They also visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Museum. They undoubtedly feel sad.