Interesting facts about origami

Everyone probably knows that origami is an interesting activity of folding various figures from paper. It was invented in Japan in ancient times. The word "origami" was invented only in 1880. Before that, paper crafts were called "orikata" (folded figures). Origami is also popular in China and other Asian countries.

Originally, a variety of figures made of paper were folded only for ceremonial occasions, because before paper was scarce and very expensive. In ancient times, the secrets of making paper crafts were passed on orally. According to tradition, it happened in the female line: from mother to daughters. Since in the absence of written materials the description of complex figures was quite difficult to make, only descriptions of the simplest figures were passed on by inheritance. In ancient times, paper was used mainly to make animals, people in national costumes and various ritual objects. Origami was first used in Japanese culture for ritual ceremonies.

In Japan, people usually acquire paper folding skills at an early age. However, not only children but also adults are interested in this interesting activity. The process of folding is arranged in such a way that it is somewhat similar to math. Some figures are very complicated and sometimes difficult to perform even for adults.

And now all the fun stuff about this amazing art!

- The exact place where origami originated is still unknown. Various methods of paper folding have long existed in East Asia and Europe. Although people from other countries and continents knew that paper could be used to make interesting shapes, it was the Japanese who pioneered origami as an art.

- Paper was invented in China. It was brought to Japan by Buddhist monks.

- The Japanese designation for paper, "kami," is a homonym for "spirit" or "god." Originally, as mentioned above, paper figures were used exclusively for religious ceremonies. Paper butterflies symbolized brides and grooms in Shinto wedding traditions that are still alive today.

- In 1797, the first origami book was published. It was called "Sembazuku Orikata" (folding a thousand cranes). Its author was Akisato Rito. However, the book described not so much the methods of folding as the cultural customs of the country.

- One edition of an encyclopedia of Japanese culture called Kaiaragusa, published in 1845, featured a complete collection of then-known figures of traditional Japanese origami.

- Modern origami evolved thanks to Akira Yoshizawa. For many centuries, people have been folding the same traditional models. However, it was Master Yoshizawa who in the 1950s published several books in which he introduced figures completely new to Japanese culture. Together with American Sam Rundlett, he described the basic principles of paper folding and introduced origami to people all over the world. People loved Akira Yoshizawa's models, which he exhibited at exhibitions. This led to the appearance of new figures and shapes in various countries outside of Japan, as well as the formation of various origami associations around the world. Yoshizawa died in 2005 at the age of 94.

- The Guinness Book of World Records has a wide variety of records for folding Japanese cranes. Among them there are records for the most complicated model, the largest or smallest, the fastest folding of 100 cranes and so on.

- The paper crane is an international symbol of peace. It has been such since 1999. It was then that the largest crane was folded. Its height was 6.5 meters and its weight was 794 kg. The crane was so huge that it had to be shown to the audience at the stadium. And it was made entirely of paper!

- Another Japanese origami master, Akira Naito, created the smallest paper crane. He made it from a square of paper measuring 0.1 by 0.1 mm. Akira had to do this work with tweezers and a microscope.

- Friedrich Fröbel, the founder of kindergartens, attached great importance to handicrafts such as folding and paper-cutting. Thanks to origami and similar arts in the early 19th century, he created many teaching aids for the education of children. Later, the idea of kindergartens spread throughout Europe and beyond, making origami popular in these territories.

- Origami enthusiasts have formed several origami associations around the world. At first they were only in the USA and Great Britain. Nowadays, clubs of origami masters and enthusiasts can be found in all big cities of the world.

- Modern artists with the help of improved methods of paper folding create more and more complex models of origami. They are so beautiful that they would have amazed the ancient masters of this art to the core. Nowadays, it is easy to buy books with instructions on how to fold origami models. Some instructions may include processes such as cutting and gluing the paper. This is also a good thing to do. Such actions are often necessary to give the models strength and stability.

- Traditionally, origami was made from special paper. Today's artists use wrapping paper or even candy wrappers for this purpose, as well as a wide variety of homemade paper. Sometimes ordinary newspapers are also used. The most original origami gift can be a figure folded from a paper banknote.

People of different professions, ages and health conditions are interested in origami. Even blind people can do it! All it requires is paper, patience and perseverance. With the advent of the Internet, it has become quite easy to find a variety of instructions for folding. Thus, the art of origami continues to thrive.