History of origami

The words "fold" (ori or oru) and "paper" (gami or kami) literally translate to "origami." Paper folding is a popular hobby all over the world and is believed to have originated in Japan, where it was first practiced for ceremonial and decorative purposes. On the other hand, paper origami has its roots in China.

Shortly after the invention of paper in the 2nd century. After being introduced to Japan in the 6th century, Japanese origami was reserved for ornamental purposes. For example, a pair of origami butterflies would be used as a decoration at a Shinto wedding to signify a beautiful life for the couple.

With increased production methods in the 17th century, paper became commonplace, and origami was able to be practiced by more people in Japan. Today, origami is a globalized pastime, especially because paper is sold in ready-made squares in many different colors to be instantly used and enjoyed. To continue the tradition, the square shape makes the paper easy to fold into a variety of forms without needing to be cut, glued, or taped.

One of the most famous origami artists is Akira Yoshizawa. He was born in 1911 and grew up on a farm. His origami was featured in a magazine. From here, he was able to have exhibitions and publish books about origami. Because of Yoshizawa's work, origami was no longer just a craft but became recognized as an art form. Origami paper can now be purchased in squares of a multitude of colors.