Origami is a well-known traditional Japanese art. It has become extremely popular around the world as a communication tool between parents and children, and as a way to train the brain. In this article, we will explain the history and appeal of origami.

Origami, a uniquely Japanese game, is used in education overseas!

First, let me introduce the current state of origami. Origami is a pastime unique to Japan, but did you know that it has recently been used in educational settings overseas as well?

Most Japanese people were familiar with origami when they were young, but as they grew up, many of them may have lost touch with it. However, overseas, origami is booming among a wide range of generations, from children to adults.

There are origami enthusiast groups all over the world

Origami USA, based in New York, USA, is an origami enthusiasts' organization with over 1,600 members in 19 countries. The organization owns many origami books at the American Museum of Natural History and manages one of the world's largest origami libraries. It also houses hundreds of unpublished origami diagrams.

Origami USA's mission is to foster personal growth by sharing the joy of playing with origami with a wide range of people and fostering communication. To that end, they regularly hold origami workshops and annual conferences, and play a role in spreading the wonders of origami to the world.

Origami USA is not the only origami enthusiast group like this, as it exists in countries around the world, including the UK, Spain, Italy, South Korea, China, Brazil, Germany, and Colombia.

In the United States, it is also used in education as an item to cultivate thinking skills.

Origami is said to have a variety of educational benefits. In fact, in the United States, where there are many origami enthusiast groups, it is actively used in educational settings as a way to develop thinking skills.

For example, as the level of the work increases, the folds become more complex, which increases concentration and thinking ability. As a result, children develop the ability to imagine the finished product, which also leads to improvements in spatial awareness and mathematical ability.

In addition, since it does not require a large space and can be started at a relatively low cost, it is an educational item that anyone can try.

The history of origami

Next, I will explain the history of origami.

The birth of washi paper

Paper first came to Japan around the Nara period. Paper-making techniques were introduced from the continent, and then, with the ingenuity of the Japanese people, thin, durable washi paper was born. At the time, washi paper was used as record paper. It was also high-quality, and many people associated its whiteness with purity, so it also came to be used as paper to wrap offerings to the gods.

Then, noticing that creases are created when wrapping offerings in washi paper, the "girei-ori" method of folding the wrapping paper neatly was born.

What is a ritual ori?

"Girei-ori" is the etiquette of wrapping paper, and is also called ceremonial origami. Even today, we still use "noshi paper" when giving formal gifts. Girei-ori was born in the Muromachi period, and was established as an etiquette unique to the samurai class. There were head families for this, and the most famous ones were "Imagawa" and "Ise".

In addition to ceremonial origami, there was also "play origami" from this time. As the name suggests, this is "playful origami," and famous pieces such as "Yakkosan" and "Tsuru" seem to have existed since the Muromachi period. However, unlike today, washi paper was a luxury item, so it was only a pastime enjoyed by a select few wealthy people.

Later, in the Edo period, the technology for producing washi paper improved, making mass production possible. Washi, which had previously been a luxury item, became affordable for the general public, and recreational origami developed further.

Furthermore, until around the 19th century, Europe had its own unique origami culture, separate from Japan. After the Meiji period, it is thought that the European culture combined with the Japanese culture to form modern origami.

The appeal of origami that fascinates people all over the world

Finally, I would like to introduce the appeal of origami.

A wide range of play with just one piece of paper

Origami can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, simply by folding the paper without cutting it with scissors. For example, you can make and fly a paper airplane, play with paper balloons, or make paper cranes. Because it can be enjoyed simply by folding, many people, from small children to the elderly, can enjoy origami.

Train your brain

As explained earlier, origami requires you to think about how to fold it as you go, which helps improve your concentration, comprehension, and creativity.

Specifically, moving your fingertips strengthens the "frontal lobe," while understanding the shapes and balance of origami activates the "temporal lobe." This means that origami is not only beneficial for children's intellectual development, but can also help prevent aging in the elderly.

Becoming a communication tool

Origami can also be a communication tool between parents and children, and with foreigners. For example, folding origami together between parents and children can increase conversation and deepen bonds. Origami is also interesting to foreigners, so it can easily become a conversation starter.

In this way, origami, which allows us to communicate with others using just a single piece of paper, can be said to be an important item for us humans.

summary

Origami, which was once thought to be a uniquely Japanese culture, is actually attracting attention from all over the world. Simply playing with origami can train your brain and help you communicate with others, so it has many benefits. If you have small children or elderly people around you, we encourage you to try playing with origami together. It's sure to spark lively conversations and create deeper bonds.

This article has been partially re-edited by KARUTA from an article originally published on "Nihongo Biyori."
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