Origami n' Stuff 4 Kids: japan

Origami Folding Tips

Origami, from the Japanese ori (to fold) and kami (paper), began in the 6th century when Buddhist monks introduced paper to Japan. The print-and-fold crafts and easy diagrams are designed to help children with fine motor skills, directions and hand eye coordination. Some basic origami folding tips:

Print and cut out patterns carefully.
Fold with clean, dry hands.
Follow the instructions. Study the diagrams and be patient.
Be precise: fold each crease well, flattening the creases by running your fingertip over the fold.
Folding the paper away from you is easier than folding towards you.
Be creative...use your origami on greeting cards, holiday decorations, table place cards and bookmarks.

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Celebrations Around the World: Boy's Day (Tango-no-sekku), May 5

Boy's Day Celebration in Hawaii

On May 5th, Japanese families throughout Hawaii display beautiful carp banners outside their homes. Called koi-nobori, each streamer traditionally symbolizes a male in the household. The largest carp at the top represents the father, followed by the eldest son, while the littlest carp at the bottom represents the youngest boy.

Watching these colorful windsocks flapping in the wind reminds one of the vigor, strength and perseverance of the koi (carp) as they swim upstream against powerful currents. Koi are also known for their longevity. They can live for as long as 50 years in the wild and have been reported to live even longer in captivity. Thus the carp is a fitting symbol for the traits desired in sons.

Inside the house, families may display heirlooms such as swords, bows, arrows and special musha-ningyo, or Boy's Day dolls, mirroring the dolls displayed during the Girl's Day Festival. Common are elaborate dolls of warriors and legendary heroes of strength and valor, some posed on beautiful horses. The earliest samurai dolls date back to the Edo period, during the18th century, when displays were commissioned by those in the samurai class. Originally, only men could fashion these samurai dolls, and their doll-making secrets were passed down from generation to generation.

Boy's Day evolved from the Shinto iris festival, Shobu-no-sekku. Shobu is the Japanese word for the iris, and it also means "striving for success." The long narrow leaves of the plant resemble swords, which boys would sometimes use to stage mock sword battles. The iris is also thought to have healing powers, and families would hang iris leaves on their houses to ward off evil spirits. Today iris leaves are still used in making kashiwa-mochi, a traditional Boy's Day rice cake.

Print and Fold Boy's Day Crafts

Boy's Day Clip Art

Origami Koi-Nobori

Make a Koi Nobori, a Boy's Day carp kite on May 5th. Traditionally, a koi is flown for every male in the household, with the largest carp on the top representing the father.

Squeaking Caterpillars!

At first glance, this caterpillar looks too cute to be true, like a rubber squeaky toy...

Photo by Kirby Wolfe.

To find out if it was real, I translated the video's description, which led me to Usutabiga (ウスタビガ), the Japanese name for the Saturniid moth, Rhodinia fugax. Found throughout Japan, China and North Korea, this silk moth has the amazing capacity as larvae to produce squeaking noises when disturbed. They can even squeak from inside their cocoons...

According to LiveScience.com,

"Caterpillars apparently can whistle, letting out squeaks that can fend off attacking birds, scientists have now found.

They don't whistle by puckering their lips and blowing, since they don't have lips. Instead, they blow out their sides, researchers said.

Scientists have known for more than 100 years that many caterpillars can generate clicking or squeaking noises. However, researchers have only recently begun to experimentally investigate how these noises are made and what roles they might play."

Other members of the Saturniid moth family are also known for larvae that produce clicking sounds with their mandibles (jaws) as a warning before secreting stinky chemicals, and some are covered with stinging hairs. (Warning: you should never handle a caterpillar that is covered in spines or hair, because they often contain venom that can cause a painful skin reaction.)

The eggs of the squeaky silkmoth overwinter and hatch in the spring. Caterpillars feed on oak, walnut, hawthorn, sycamore, birch and rose before spinning a pitcher-plant shaped cocoon. Adults have a 3.5-inch wingspan.

©Tammy Yee

Origami: Boy's Day Carp, Koi Nobori

Celebrate Boy's Day (May 5) by folding a koi origami for every male in the household!

Difficulty: Medium

Print a blue Koi-nobori

Print a red Koi-nobori

Print a green Koi-nobori

Directions:

1a. Print and cut out origami along outer solid lines.
1b. Snip end of tale, as illustrated, to black dot.

Koi-nobori Origami

2a. Turn paper over. With printed side facing down, fold along line A as shown.
2b. Repeat fold along line B.
2c. Fold up along line C.
2d. Fold up along line D.

Koi-nobori Origami

3a. Fold in half, along diagonal line, as shown.
3b. Your origami should look like this, with a "tail" flap and a "head" flap.

Koi-nobori Origami

4a. Unfold "tail" flap. Take note of the diagonal line, highlighted here in red, on the carp's fin.
4b. Folding "tail" flap first, crease carp's fin along the highlighted line as you fold "head" flap over.
4c. Your origami should now look like this, with the fin folded as shown.

Koi-nobori Origami

5a. "Valley" fold origami tip inward along line E as shown.
5b. Fold fin up along slit. Your Koi Nobori is done!

Koi-nobori Origami

Crafts: Boy's Day Kite, Koi Nobori

Make a Koi Nobori, a Boy's Day carp kite on May 5th. Traditionally, a koi is flown for every male in the household, with the largest carp on the top representing the father.

Directions

1. Select your koi, print, and cut along outline.

2. Fold your koi in half along the vertical line, and glue along top, leaving the "mouth" open.

3. Use a hole puncher to punch holes to either side of the mouth, and attach strings.

MARCH 3: Girl's Day, Hina Matsuri

From "Malia in Hawaii," written by Karyn Hopper, Illustrated by Tammy Yee. Mutual Publishing, 2013.

Girls Day, Hina Matsuri
Hina Matsuri is the annual Girls' Day Festival celebrated on March 3 by Japanese and Okinawan families in Hawai'i. Girls display their collections of elaborate dolls portraying the Japanese royal court, arranged on up to 7 tiers. Read more...

Girl's Day Origami: Emperor

Girl's Day Origami: Empress

Celebrations Around The World: Girl's Day, Hina Matsuri

Girls' Day Celebration in Hawaii

Hina Matsuri is the annual Girls' Day Festival celebrated on March 3 by Japanese and Okinawan families in Hawai'i. Girls display their collections of elaborate dolls portraying the Japanese royal court, arranged on up to 7 tiers. The Emperor and Empress (or Lord and Lady) sit at the top and are attended by guardians, musicians and servants. These treasured dolls are passed down from generation to generation and are beautifully detailed, with brocaded silk kimonos, fans, and musical instruments. It is said that the display must be taken down on March 3rd or the girls in the family will not find husbands.

Hina Matsuri evolved from ancient Shinto purification ceremonies. Using origami dolls, girls could rid themselves of impurities by breathing upon the paper dolls, rubbing the dolls against their bodies, then casting away the dolls, and thus their sins, into a river.

You can make your very own origami Hina dolls on the Origami Page.

To learn more about the Girls' Day Festival, check out JADE Girls' Day Dolls Page and Girls' Day Dolls (Hina-Ningyo).

Writing a paper on Japan? Interested in Japanese holidays, food, and history? Visit Kids Web Japan.

Girl's Day Origami: Emperor

Fold an empress and emperor for Hina Matsuri!

Difficulty: Easy

Follow directions to Empress Origami:

1a. Print and cut out image along outer solid lines.
2b. With printed side facing down, fold up on line A.

2a. Fold diagonally on line B.
2b. Repeat diagonal fold on line C.
2c. Fold kimono up as shown.

3a. Turn origami over, with printed side facing up.
3b. Fold arms of kimono down as shown.
3c. Repeat on other side, and your Girls' Day doll is pau (finished)!

Girl's Day Origami: Empress

Fold an empress and emperor for Hina Matsuri!

Difficulty: Easy

Directions:

1a. Print and cut out image along outer solid lines.
2b. With printed side facing down, fold up on line A.

2a. Fold diagonally on line B.
2b. Repeat diagonal fold on line C.
2c. Fold kimono up as shown.

3a. Turn origami over, with printed side facing up.
3b. Fold arms of kimono down as shown.
3c. Repeat on other side, and your Girls' Day doll is pau (finished)!