Don’t be fooled! Although Origami is the Japanese art of folding paper, it did not start in Japan. Yes, the Japanese words “oru” means to fold, and “kami” means paper, but it all began in China in the…
Don’t be fooled! Although Origami is the Japanese art of folding paper, it did not start in Japan. Yes, the Japanese words “oru” means to fold, and “kami” means paper, but it all began in China in the first or second century and had arrived in Japan by the sixth century and began to evolve. The early origami of this era was an art form of the nobility – associated with ceremonial and religious occasions, such as weddings – as paper was too rare and expensive for common folk to obtain.
Modern style origami became a popular pastime in Japan for commoners and became a part of the culture. It was first introduced to the West, in Spain, by the Moors of Africa in the eighth century.
Sources: Nippon Origami Museum, ThinkQuest Org.
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