UJ00102 BAHASA JEPUN TAHAP 1

INDIVIDUAL PROJECT

NAME : NURLINDA BINTI KADRI

MATRIC : BK10160345
GROUP :5

TITLE : JAPANESE ORIGAMI

Japan is a country which full with its cultures and arts. One of the
popular arts that have been spread all over the world is the paper art,
origami. Origami is the traditional Japanese folk art of paper folding. It came
from the word oru which mean folding and kami which mean paper. The
purpose of this art is to create something by using paper folding.
Origami had started in the 17th century AD and was popularized in the
mid 1900s. The invention of paper folding might appeared after the invention
of paper. The earliest known paper folding tradition was in the ceremony like
Noshi, a kind of present which consists of blank white paper folded with
abalone or dried roasted meat where it was assumed can bring luck which
was started during the Muromachi period. Origami originally used for
religious purpose, because of the high cost of the paper. Only after the
techniques of paper invention create cheaper paper, origami then had
become popular and had become a new type of entertainment.
Origami only use a few number of folding, but it can be combined in
many different ways to get different shapes. Generally, all of these designs
started with a square shape paper which it sides may differ in color and can
be done without cutting the paper. Although almost any paper can be used to
fold, the preferred material gives effect to the produced paper model. Regular
paper weight 70-90gsm can be used for regular folding. Thicker paper, weight
100gsm and above, can be fold although it is wet. This technique enable the
paper folded in curve shape where it will be hardened when it dry.
One of the popular origami designs is the crane. Crane is the symbol of
luck and happiness in Japanese culture. A legend said that whoever fold a
thousand crane’s origami, all of his wishes will be coming true. Orizuru
(crane origami) had become the symbol of peace since the story of a little
girl, Sasaki Sadako who died because of the radiation of the atomic bomb in
Hiroshima. The tale said, when she heard about the legend of the orizuru, she
decided to fold a thousand cranes wishing that she could continue living in
this world. Unfortunately, she died when she was 12 years old in 1955, able to
finish folding 1300 cranes. Although her effort could not extend her life, she
still has the hope for the peace in the world and to end all the suffering.
Until today, people around the world are still practicing this art. Origami
had been taught to children as early as during their pre-school. By learning
this art, it can at least improve the children’s creativity and skill from their
early age. From simple origami design such as the crane, people nowadays
had invented many designs of these origami which shown us that origami art
had expand and done by many people from another countries, not only by the
Japanese. But still, people do recognize and acknowledge the art of origami is
belongs to Japan.

REFERENCES

• http://www.origami.as/home.html

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origami