Boom overseas! Approaching the history and charm of "origami", a play unique to Japanese culture

"Origami" is famous as a traditional Japanese culture. Such origami is now very popular all over the world as it becomes a communication tool between parents and children and trains their brains. Therefore, in this article, I will explain the history and charm of origami.

Also used for education overseas! Japan's unique play "Origami"

First, I would like to introduce the recent origami situation. Origami is a play unique to Japan, but did you know that it is also used in overseas educational settings these days?

Most Japanese people were familiar with origami when they were little, but as they grew up, many people may say that they have become less familiar with origami. However, overseas, it is booming for a wide range of generations, from children to adults.

There are origami lovers around the world

"Origami USA" in New York, USA is an origami enthusiast group with more than 1,600 members in 19 countries around the world. The organization owns many books on origami at the American Museum of Natural History and manages one of the largest origami libraries in the world. We also keep hundreds of unpublished origami charts.

Origami USA's mission is to foster the growth of people by sharing the joy of playing origami with various people and communicating with them. For this reason, we regularly hold origami workshops and annual conventions to convey the wonders of origami to the world.

Origami USA is not the only origami enthusiast. In addition to the United States, it exists in countries around the world such as the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, South Korea, China, Brazil, Germany, and Colombia.

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

Origami is said to have various educational effects. In fact, in the United States, where origami enthusiasts are located, it is being actively adopted in educational settings as an item to develop thinking ability.

For example, as the level of the work goes up, the creases become more complicated, so "concentration" and "thinking power" increase. As a result, you will acquire the ability to imagine the finished product, which will lead to the improvement of "spatial grasping ability" and "mathematical ability".

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

History of origami

Next, I will explain the history of origami.

Birth of Japanese paper

In the first place, "paper" came to Japan around the Nara period. The method of making paper was transmitted from the continent, and from there, Japanese ingenuity was applied to create "thin and durable Japanese paper."At that time, Japanese paper was used as recording paper. Many people think of Japanese paper, which was also high-class, as "clean" because of its whiteness, and it will also be used as "paper for wrapping offerings to God."

Focusing on the fact that creases are formed when wrapping offerings with Japanese paper, the "ritual fold" was born, in which the wrapping paper is folded neatly.

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What is a ritual occasion?

"Rite origami" is a paper-wrapped origami method, also known as ritual origami. Even today, there is still some "paper" that you can attach when giving a new gift. The ritual fold was born in the Muromachi period, and was stipulated as a samurai's original ritual. It has an Iemoto, and the famous ones are "Imakawa" and "Ise".

In addition to ritual origami, there is also "Yugi Origami" for origami around this time. As the name suggests, it means "play origami", and it seems that famous works such as "Yakko-san" and "Crane" have already existed since the Muromachi period. However, unlike modern times, Japanese paper was a luxury item, so it was a play only among some wealthy people.

After that, in the Edo period, the production technology of Japanese paper improved and mass production became possible. Japanese paper, which used to be a luxury item, can now be obtained cheaply by the general public. And more and more Yugi Origami will develop.

Until around the 19th century, the origami culture was completed independently in Europe as well as in Japan. After the Meiji era, it is thought that the culture that existed in Europe combined with Japan became a modern origami paper.

What is the charm of origami that attracts people all over the world?

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

You can play a wide range with a piece of paper

Origami can be enjoyed in various ways "just by folding" without cutting the paper with scissors. For example, you can make a paper plane and fly it, play with paper balloons, or make a paper crane. Since you can play by just folding it, many people from small children to the elderly can play with origami.

Train your brain

As I explained earlier, origami requires you to think about how to fold it, so you can improve your "concentration," "understanding," and "creativity."

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Specifically, moving the fingertips trains the "frontal lobe", and understanding the shape and balance of origami activates the "temporal lobe". For these reasons, it can be used not only for children's education but also for the prevention of aging of the elderly.

Become a communication tool

Origami can also be a communication tool between parents and children and with foreigners. For example, folding origami together with parents and children will increase conversations and deepen ties. Origami is also interesting for foreigners, so it's easy to start talking.

Origami, which allows us to communicate with others with just one sheet of paper, is an important item for us humans.

Summary

Origami, which I thought was a unique culture of Japan, is actually attracting attention from all over the world. Origami is all about good things, such as training your brain and communicating with others just by playing. If you have small children or the elderly around you, please try playing with origami together. I'm sure the conversation will be lively and a deep bond will be formed.

This article is a partial re-edit of the article published in Nihongo Biyori by KARUTA.
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