Links & Resources

The East and West of Origami
Most of us will remember folding paper cups, salt cellars (we called them 'cootie' catchers or 'fortune tellers') and paper balloons as children in elementary school. There is more to origami than these simple models would lead us to believe. Origami comes from the Japanese words for folding, ori, and the Japanese word for paper, kami.

History of Origami
Since about the first century AD, the time when it is believed that paper was first invented in China, people have been folding paper into various shapes. The Chinese developed some simple forms, some of which survive down to this day. When the secret of paper was carried to Japan in the sixth century AD by Buddhist monks, it was quickly integrated into their culture.

Origami: Fold art, geography and cultural studies into one lesson
Origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding, can be an interesting way to combine art lessons with units on social studies, culture and even history and geography.

The Ten Commandments of Origami
1.Choose suitable paper and cut to required form and size.
2.Fold paper cleanly and carefully, especially at the small points of corners.

Origami USA
Welcome to the OrigamiUSA web site. OrigamiUSA is a not-for-profit, tax exempt educational and cultural arts organization which is dedicated to the sharing of paperfolding in America and around the world.

About Origami
The Japanese word "Origami" is now an internationally recognized word and is synonymous with the art and craft of paper folding. "Origamido", the way of origami, is a personal journey of learning, creating, teaching, using, and ppreciating origami.