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Last updated 5/12/2024

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Two of the pages have folded paper figures glued to them, one a Flying Crane and the other an Elephant.

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Introduction

The designs in this work are a mix of traditional designs with original designs by the author and Akira Yoshizawa. However, the author appears to be unaware that many of the traditional designs are ultimately of European, rather than Japanese, origin.

While the author does not attribute any designs to Yoshizawa in this work, we can do so by comparing it to Honda's earlier work, 'Origami Shuko'. Those designs attributed to Yoshizawa in 'Origami Shuko' which appear without attribution in this work are: 1. 'A Yacht', 116. 'A Wild Goose' and 129. 'Combinations of the Diamond-shapes'.

The only designs which the author specifically claims as his own are 131.'A Dragonfly of 'Kanomado'' and 132. 'A Baby Turtle', of which he says:

However, it seems likely that the majority of the other designs in the book which are not known from any other source than the author's various works, are also of his own devising. Inter alia, he states in the Foreword (see below) that he spent time 'inventing new origami of my own'.

In particular, Honda claimed that he originated the technique of making compound designs from two bird bases glued together. For full details see discussion on the 'Origami Shuko' source page.

In his later book 'The World of Origami', which was published in English by Japan Publications Trading Company in 1965, Honda specifically claims that the compound designs in this book for the Eagle, Dragon, Giraffe, Crocodile (or Alligator) and Three Wise Monkeys are his own original creations.

There is no reason to believe that the other compound animal designs are not his own original creations as well. Beyond this, it is likely that many of the other designs, particularly those which first, and only, appear in his own books, are also Honda's creations. However, lacking any direct claim from him that this is the case, it is difficult to prove.

There are four parts of the work, the dust jacket, the Foreword, the Preface and the introduction to chapter VII - 'The Background of Origami' which provide information about Isao Honda and his view of the true nature and history of origami.

Information which relates to the author's life and his view of the true nature of origami has been carried over to the page about The Paperfolding of Isao Honda.

Information that relates to the history of paperfolding or specific designs has been carried over to the relevant Source and Individual Design pages.

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Reference here to origami as 'The Finest Hand Art in the World' is probably to paperfolding as a means of promoting manual dexterity in children within the French educational syatem.

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Analysis

Designs from Square Paper

1. A Yacht

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2. A Piano

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3. A Soldier Cap

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4. A House - The Japanese House

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5. A Sailboat / Trick Boat - The Boat with Sail

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6. A Flower Pattern / Photo Frame

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7. A Winnow Tray - The Winnowing Box

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8. A Measuring Box - The Blintz Box

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9. A Pin-wheel - The Bi-colour Windmill

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10. A Flower-shape Box

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11. A Water Lily - The Waterlily

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12. An O-Sanbo (1) - The Sanbo

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13. An O-Sanbo (2) - The Sanbo-on-Legs

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14. A Paper Cup - The Paper Cup

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15. A Cap

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16. A Hat

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17. A Samurai Helmet - The Kabuto

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18. A Goldfish (1) - The Cut Goldfish

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19. A Flying Bird - The Carrier Pigeon

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20. A Paper Balloon - The Waterbomb

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21. A Lily - The Lily

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22. A Square Basic Form

This is just the Preliminary Fold.

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23. A Morning-Glory - The Morning Glory

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24. A Star-Shape Box - The Star-shaped Box

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25. A Square-Shape Box - The Cake Box

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26. A Flower Vase - The Hibachi

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27. A Boat - The Fishing Boat

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28. A Motor-Boat - The Sampan

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29. An Octangular Case

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30. A Turtle Case - The Novelty Purse

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31. A Folded Sack - The Puzzle Purse

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32. A Cube Box - The Tematebako

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33. A Hexagonal Box - The Hexagonal Tematebako

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34. Triangular and Hanging Ornaments of the Hexangular Box

Triangular Ornament - The Woven Star of David

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Hanging Ornament

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35. A Flying Pigeon - The Dove

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36. A Tulip (Compound Design)

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37. A Swan - The Simple Swan

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38. A Mandarine Duck

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39. A Seal - The Bird Base Seal

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40. A Sea Gull (1)

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41. A Penguin

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42. A Lobster

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43. A Snail

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44. A Basic Form

This is the Bird Base

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45. A Crane

The instructions say the Crane should be inflated by blowing into the hole in the bottom.

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46. A Flying Heron (Cut)

The legs are separated using a cut.

The instructions also show how to use a cut to create a crest, although this crest is not shown in the final drawing.

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47. A Nesting Crane - The Nesting Crane

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48. A Hen - The Hen with Legs

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49. A Crow - The Crow with Legs

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50. A Pheasant

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51. A Canary - The Cut Canary

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52. A Nightingale - The Cut Nightingale

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53. A Pigeon

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54. A Peacock (Compound Cut Design) - Honda's Peacock

The crest is created using a cut.

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55. A Peahen

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56. An Ostrich

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57. A Standing Heron

The crest is created using a cut.

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58. A Standing Crane

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59. A Turkey

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60. A Cochin

Cochin is a breed of chicken.

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61. A Flying Crane (Cut)

The legs are separated using a cut

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62. An Owl - The Cut Owl

The legs are separated using a cut.

The ears are created using cuts.

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63. A Swallow - The Cut Swallow

The two parts of the tail are separated using a cut

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64. A Turtle - The Cut Bird Base Turtle

A cut is used to separate the back legs.

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65. A Dragonfly (Cut) - The Cut Dragonfly

Cuts are used to separate the front and back wings.

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66. A Cicada

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67. A Fish

The two parts of the tail are separated using a cut.

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68. A Gold fish (2)

The two parts of the tail are separated using a cut.

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69. A Frog - The Inflatable Frog

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70. An Octopus - The Inflatable Octopus

The legs are separated using cuts.

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Compound Designs from two squares

71. A Dog

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72. A Horse (Cut)

The ears are created using a cut.

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73. A Winged-Horse (Cut)

The wings are created and separated using cuts.

The ears are created using a cut.

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74. A Kangaroo (Cut)

The ears are created using a cut.

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75. A Cat (Cut)

The ears are created using cuts.

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76. A Monkey

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77. A Rabbit (Cut)

The ears are created using a cut.

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78. A Goat (1)

The horns are created using cuts.

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79. A Deer

The horns are created using cuts.

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80. A Fox

The ears are created using a cut.

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81. A Hyena

The ears are created using a cut.

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82. A Badger

The ears are created using a cut.

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83. A Fur-seal

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84. A One-Hump Camel

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85. A Tiger

The teeth and the ears are created using cuts.

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86. A Rat

The ears are created using a cut.

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87. A Lion

The ears are created using a cut.

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88. An Elephant

The ears are created using a cut.

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89. A Rhinocerous

The ears are created using a cut.

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90. A Hippopotamus

The ears are created using a cut.

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91. A Pig

The ears are created using a cut.

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92. A White Bear

The ears are created using cuts.

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93. A Bear

The ears are created using a cut.

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94. A Walking Bear

The ears are created using a cut.

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95. A Cow

The ears are created using a cut.

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96. A Water Buffalo

The horns and ears are created using cuts

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97. A Goat (2)

The ears are created using a cut.

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98. A Sheep

The ears are created using a cut.

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99. A Crab

The legs on both parts of the design are separated using cuts.

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100. A Girl

The shape of the girl's face is cut out in the upper piece, then a separate face is pasted over it.

The tennis raquet is cut from a separate piece of paper.

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Designs from Rectangular Paper

101. An Airplane (1)

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102. An Airplane (2) - The Dove Paper Plane

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103. A Hood - Le Bonnet Carre

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104. A Waste paper Basket - Le Bonnet Carre

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105. A Popper - The Paper Banger

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106. A Kimono - The Kimono

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107. A Ring

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108. A Folding Box - The Collapsible Box

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109. A Teapot-Stand - The Teapot Stand

The text says 'The Japanese formerly used this as a teapot-stand'.

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110. A Purse (1) - The Business Card Holder

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111. A Purse (2) - The Three-Piece Purse

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Designs from Triangular Paper

112. A Sea Gull (2)

From a right angle isosceles triangle.

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113. A Locust

From a right angle isosceles triangle.

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114. An Iris (1) - The Iris

From an equilateral triangle.

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115. An Iris (2) (Cut)

From an equilateral triangle. Cuts are used to shape the petals.

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116. A Wild Goose - The Wild Goose

From an equilateral triangle.

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117. A Crawfish (Cut)

From an equilateral triangle. Cuts are used to separate the two parts of the claws.

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118. A Duck (1)

From an equilateral triangle.

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119. A Duck (2)

From an equilateral triangle.

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120. A Goose

From an equilateral triangle.

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121. An Eagle (Compound Design)

Made from two equilateral triangles.

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122. A Cock (Compound Design)

Made from two equilateral triangles.

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123. A Dragon (Compound Design)

Made from two equilateral triangles.

The horns and whiskers are created using cuts.

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Designs from Diamond-shaped Paper

124. A Bat

Made from a 60/120 degree rhombus.

The ears are created using cuts.

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125. A Parrot

Made from a 60/120 degree rhombus.

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126. A giraffe

Made from two 60/120 degree rhombii.

The horns are created using cuts.

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127 A Crocodile (Compound Design)

Made from two 60/120 degree rhombii.

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128. 'Three Monkeys' (Compound Designs)

Each monkey is made from two 60/120 degree rhombii.

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129. Combinations of the Diamond-shapes

Made using a module folded from a 60/120 degree rhombus.

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Designs from Hexagonal and Octagonal Paper

130. A Hexangular Basic Form

This is effectively a six-pointed bird base folded from a hexagon.

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131. A Dragonfly of 'Kanomado'

Folded from 'A Hexangular Basic Form'.

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132. A Baby-turtle

Folded from 'A Hexangular Basic Form'.

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133. A Hexangular Incense Case

Folded from a hexagon.

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134. An Octangular Incense Case

Folded from an octagon.

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135. A Crab (2)

From a slit-square.

This design uses matchsticks for eyes.

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The Background of Origami

136. A pair of 'Dairibina' (Cut)

Multiple cuts are used in these designs.

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137. A Korean Junk - The Chinese Junk

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138. A 'Kago' (Palanquin) - The Palanquin

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139. A 'Noshi'

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This following text is from a page that is unnumbered in the book and inserted between pages 176 and 177. The first sentence seems to contine from the end of the first paragraph of the description of the Kago (see above), although that sentence was already continued on page 177.

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Ribbon Folding

This section appears to have been added to the book at a late stage, perhaps to bulk it out. The diagrams for the Froebel Star are untitled and there is no text relating to that design.

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The Froebel Star

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