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History of Origami

Origami originated in Japan during the 7th century with the introduction of washi paper from China. This paper was strong yet soft, making it suitable for folding. Origami was first used for practical and formal purposes by samurai society. During the Edo period as paper became more widespread, origami emerged as an art form for enjoyment, with designs of cranes and boats becoming fashionable. In the early 20th century, origami books were published and it was practiced by both children and adults. Origami has since spread internationally and is now often pursued as a hobby by adults through origami associations.

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Celeste D. Bering
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462 views4 pages

History of Origami

Origami originated in Japan during the 7th century with the introduction of washi paper from China. This paper was strong yet soft, making it suitable for folding. Origami was first used for practical and formal purposes by samurai society. During the Edo period as paper became more widespread, origami emerged as an art form for enjoyment, with designs of cranes and boats becoming fashionable. In the early 20th century, origami books were published and it was practiced by both children and adults. Origami has since spread internationally and is now often pursued as a hobby by adults through origami associations.

Uploaded by

Celeste D. Bering
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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History of

Origami
Paper making introduced to Japan by China
during the early seventh century underwent
considerable changes in its manufacturing
process.
It gives rise to a type of washi‖ paper possessing dual
qualities of resilient sturdiness and softness
which prevents tearing when it is handled.
Washi is a unique and distinct type of
Japanese paper kindled with many forms of
cultural creativity. Among them is Origami.
A well-regulated lifestyle
came with the advent of Samurai
society which gave rise to the art
of paper folding for practical and
formal purposes.
From the onset of the Showa
period (1926-1989), the art has
rapidly passed into oblivion, but a
vestige of its former use can still be seen in the noshi.
A Noshi is a decoration of folded red and white
paper attached to a gift.
Origami made to assume concrete shapes of,
for example, a crane or boat is regarded as origami
for pure enjoyment.
It began to be made sometime around the beginning of
the Edo period (1600-1868) which coincided with an age in
which mass-produced, low-priced paper came to be widely
used by the people.
During the Genroku era (1688-1704),
origami of the crane and several varieties
of boats were used as designs on
clothing and became fashionable.
It was also
reproduced with great
frequency in Ukiyoe prints. Origami rapidly
came to have a wide following during this
period.
About a hundred
years later, books and printed matters
devoted exclusively to origami were
published, creating a diverse and
advanced form of origami.
They were not only
a form of children's amusement but also a
form intended for adults. Many of this
origami were difficult to make because
they incorporated many complicated steps.
The technique of paper-
making was introduced to Europe in the twelfth
century producing a distinct form of origami.
Not only the many imaginative and novel origami
creations but its educational worth and immense
potential were also reconsidered and recognized.
Origami has gained a widespread
following as a hobby among adults.
This time, there are many origami
associations that have been formed
overseas by origami enthusiasts.
The Japanese word "origami" is a compound of two
smaller Japanese words: "ori", meaning to fold, and
"kami", meaning paper.
Recently, all forms of paper folding
were not grouped under the word
origami, namely "tsutsumi", a kind of
wrapper used for formal occasions.
Paper folding for play was known by
a variety of names, including "orikata", "orisue", "orimono",
"tatamigami" and others.
It has been suggested that the word was adopted in
kindergartens because the written characters were easier for
young children to write.
Another theory is that the word "origami" was a direct
translation of the German word "Papierfalten", brought into
Japan with the Kindergarten Movement around 1880.
Initially, due to the fact that
paper was expensive, origami
became an art form practiced
only by the elite and was used
for practical purposes such as
folding letters.

Samurai would give each


other little paper good luck
charms known as noshi and
Shinto weddings folded paper
butterflies.

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