A Look into Origami - the Art of Paper Folding

When you visit Japan, you might often hear the word "origami." Actually, it is the traditional art in Japan wherein a piece of paper is folded to create intricate designs such as a bird, a boat, and a star. The word is based on the Japanese terms "ori," which means folding, and "kami," which means paper. The art started way back in the 17th century AD and became popular in the 1900s.

There are only a few basic origami folds; however, they can be combined in an almost limited number of methods to create great designs. Typically, this craft begins with a sheet of paper - usually a square - with different prints or colours in each side.

The art of paper folding played a significant role in many occasions in Japan. For one, paper butterflies were used in weddings to signify the groom and the bride especially during the Heian period of Japan's history. Additionally, warriors in Japan would exchange gifts decorated with noshi, a type of ceremonial origami fold that express "good wishes." Another interesting thing to note about this practice is the story of a thousand paper cranes. Japanese tradition held that when one makes a wish after completing a paper crane and creates a "senbazuru," the wish will come true. In the modern day, the Japanese children will create senbazuru generally as a symbol for world peace. In fact, an annual Peace Day - held in August 6 - is celebrated where thousands of origami cranes are sent by children worldwide to Hiroshima, a Japanese city and the first city in history destroyed by a nuclear weapon.