What's New July 2007 NEW! Our new origami models are in Japanese stores! Click here to see more of our new models 12/20/2006 NEW! The Japanese bullet train's 500 series. 07/27/2006 NEW! You can now download our red sports car. Our Web site includes step-by-step instructions.   05/22/2006

Our Origami Paper Craft Designs Are Now In Stores!   Showa Grimm Inc., one of Japan's premiere origami manufacturers, has licensed our Japanese Bullet Train, Fire Truck, and Ambulance  models for sale in Japan. The pack comes in sets of 16 sheets, each with a landscape background for display purposes.  The cost is 200-yen or about $2. We hope to make them available on-line soon.

05/22/2006 In the Pipeline    At Taro's Origami Studio, we are constantly thinking of new and exciting ways to recreate the world in paper! Currently we have a fire house, and several new cars in the pipeline. We can't wait to introduce them to you on this Web site.   ORIGAMI IS WORLD ART The word 'origami' is Japanese that literally means to fold ('ori')  and  paper ('gami'). But did you know that Europe has its own paper folding tradition that developed separately from Japan?  The earliest known European 'origami' is probably a 16th century Spanish baptismal certificate made into the shape of a little bird called 'pajarita'.

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"It's Origami! Absolutely no cutting or messy pasting required!"
		Thank you for visiting Taro's Origami Studio at OrigamiPaperCraft.com! I am pleased to introduce my totally new origami paper craft designs on this web site. You'll find 3-D models of cars, trucks, and other modes of transportation that I've created over the years. They may look like paper craft toys, but they are all made from a single sheet of paper with absolutely no cutting or gluing necessary. I call my models "origami paper crafts" because they combine the best of both worlds. New to origami? Read my folding tips below. Otherwise, scroll down to Free Downloads and try your hand on some of our designs. You'll see for yourself how fun it is to fold!       Tips On Folding Origami Even if you are totally new to origami, with a little practice, you'll be making beautiful models in no time. Just remember the following: Tip 1- Make the folds nice and crisp. It's important to flatten the creases completely. Puffy creases make for sloppy results. Flatten using fingernails. Tip 2-Make the corners neat and pointy. You may use the tip of your nail or a ballpoint pen to guide the paper so it folds perfectly sharp. Tip 3-Take your time. What's the rush? Enjoy the process of creating something beautiful and you'll be greatly rewarded.    Free Downloads
			1. NEW! Introducing the little red sports car.  Click HERE or click on the image to find out how to download the file, or to see step-by-step folding instructions.
		2. This is the easiest model. To find out how to download the file, click HERE , or click on the image.   Patented 2005- 2006 Taro's Origami Studio. All rights reserved

Taro's Origami Paper Craft vs. Traditional Origami

What is an Origami Paper Craft? 
     Origami is the centuries-old Japanese art of paper folding. I have taken the traditional origami designs of birds, flowers and animals, and created totally new 3 dimensional models that include Japanese fire trucks, ambulance, Japanese bullet trains or Shinkansen, and much much more. I use preprinted paper that folds into realistic models, combining the realism of paper craft with the simplicity of origami. Thus the name, Origami Paper Crafts. Here are some of the unique features:

• 3-D transportation and building designs with pre-printed graphics
• Made from a single piece of paper with no cutting or gluing required
• Realistic details for a scale model appeal
• Folding lines and instructions printed right on the paper
• Includes landscape backdrops of roads, tracks and hangars as a fun way to display the finished work
• Can be customized in design, scale, color and shape

History of Origami
     Did you know the history of origami goes back many centuries? Paper was introduced to Japan from China in the 6th century. However, paper back then was made from the bark of birch trees and was not appropriate for folding. The invention of washi or Japanese hand-made paper, greatly advanced origami as a form of recreational craft in Japan. But, originally, origami was used primarily for ceremonial and formal purposes by the Japanese nobility. Recreational paper folding did not come into vogue until the 1600s. The earliest origami included simple designs such as boats, boxes and cranes; simple designs that could be passed down orally from mother to daughter.

      The art of paper folding was not always called 'origami' in Japan. Until the 1800s, it was known as "orikata", "orisue", "orimono", among others. Some historians suggest the word actually was a direct translation of the German word "papierfalten"; a word brought into Japan by German educator Fredrich Froebel's "Kindergarten Movement" that spread throughout the world, including  Japan, during the early 1800s.

     Modern origami was reinvented by a man named Akira Yoshikawa, who, in the 1950s, published books with new models and designs. He helped to rejuvenate the art of paper folding in the world. (If you are interested in traditional origami products, click WALMART.)
 

Origami Benefits to the Brain
     As mentioned above, Froebel reintroduced 'paper folding' to the world by including it in the curriculum of his  "Kindergarten Movement." It may sound ironic to say that its thanks to him that origami is still taught in schools in Japan to children at a very young age. Froebel is one of many educators who knew first hand the benefit of origami on the developing mind. But recently there have been studies done to back this up. One such study observed a group of 7 to 11 year olds in a week-long intensive origami training. Participants engaged in simple origami making for 5 hours a day, all week long. The children were then tested for various skills. Researchers found that origami's bi-manual (two hand) activity stimulated the interaction between the right and left hemispheres of the brain, and improved nonverbal and verbal intelligence of all the children involved. In the older children, they also found that the motor activity of using both hands developed imagination and figurative thinking. (To read more on this fascinating study, go to www.oriland.com/oriversity/benefits/main.asp)

Origami has also been known to benefit children with ADHD and emotional problems as it challenges the mind to create and memorize sequences. It fully engages the brain to help train the brain to focus.  

But if you think origami is mere child's play, think again. It can also benefit the elderly, the physically handicapped, or anyone else who wishes to keep their mind sharp and their fingers nimble. It can also serve as a form of meditation as it helps calm the mind. Who would have thought that a piece of paper could do all that! (To find out more on the mental health benefits of origami, go to www.geocities.com/paper_folding/border.html.)

 

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