History of Origami

The absence of records of where, when and how it started makes it hard to pin point its exact origin. The earliest record of Origami was only instructions on how to fold several simple designs. It was learned that the craft was, in the past, orally passed on from mothers to their daughters for and only for recreational purposes. There being no written instructions, the earlier and more complex designs are believed to have been lost with the passing of time.

It is believed by some historians that the Buddhist monks introduced Origami when they brought paper to Japan in the late sixth century. On the other hand, some would argue that the art itself was conceived by the Japanese. The latter claim would prove to be more accurate since there are no known records in China about paper folding. Irregardless of the debate on its origin, it remains that Japanese are recognised as the masters of origami.

The first written instructions appeared in AD 1797 with the publication of the Senbazuru Orikata (Thousand Crane Folding). One portion of the Kayaragusa (also known as Kan no mado or Window on Midwinter), an encyclopaedia of Japanese culture published in 1845, included a comprehensive collection of traditional Japanese figures.