How to Origami

What is the Definition of Origami?

Origami is a noun that is the Japanese art of paper folding into shapes and figures.

What Is Origami?

Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. It has been around for hundreds of years though, the person who started it is unknown.

"Origami Crane Tree" by Geek2Nurse is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Around The World

Paper folding started in China in the first or second century. It came to Japan in around the sixth century. The earliest evidence in Europe was a picture of a boat in 1490 and a paper box from 1440.

What They Looked Like And How It's Done

Instead of making models that looked exactly like things, the first origami models only looked similar. When the Japanese first folded origami, they used only one piece of paper instead of modular origami. Modular origami is when you take more than one piece of paper and connect them. Many people prefer to use a flat surface to fold on, but others, like the Japanese, fold in the air. People often folded models and gave them to other people for good luck.

Just a Few?

Many dictionaries and TV shows suggest that origami is only paper cranes, water bombs, and planes but making the right folds can make a 3D dragon or a parrot.

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