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Kindergarten Shoho by Iijima Hanjuro, 1885
 
'Kindergarten Shoho' (Preliminary Kindergarten) by Iijima Hanjuro was copyrighted on October 4th Meiji 17 (1884) and published by Fukuda Senzo in August of Meiji 18 (1885).

You can find full copies online either at the National Diet Library Digital Collections here or the Waseda University Library here.

My grateful thanks to Masatsugu Tsutsumi for locating these links and for translating the dating information for me.

My grateful thanks to Andrew Dewar for translating the Japanese titles of the Folds of Life from hiragana and for offering helpful thoughts on the identification of the designs.

I have only analysed the Folds of Life at the present time.

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Analysis

The Paper Crane

(The characters say 'tsuru' which means 'crane')

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The Sanbo

(The characters say 'sanbou')

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The Tenjin Shrine

(The characters say 'tenjin no yashiro' which measn 'tenjin shrine')

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The Kimono

(The characters say 'hanten orikata' which means 'hanten paperfold')

Note that a hanten is not a kimono but a kind of short padded jacket usually worn in cold weather.

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The Long Lantern

(The characters say 'chouchin' which means 'lantern')

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The Fox Face

(The characters say 'kitsune' which means 'fox spirit')

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The Trousers / Tabi

(The upper characters say 'momohiki' and the lower characters say 'tabi')

Momohiki is a kind of warm underwear similar to 'long johns' worn under a kimono.

Tabi are socks.

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Yakko-san

(The characters say 'fukura suzume')

A fukura suzume is a 'puffed-up sparrow' or a sparrow in winter)

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The Lantern (aka the Muff)

(The characters say 'tourou' which means 'lantern')

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The Cross

(The characters are unclear but probably say 'kaka tourou' which means 'stone lantern')

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The Sedan Chair

(The characters say 'o-kago')

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Lily

(The characters say 'yuri' which means 'lily')

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Flat-folded Hat

(The characters say 'nattou eboshi' which means 'flat-folded hat')

This is a type of formal hat worn by samurai, folded in a way reminiscent of the straw wrappings used for natto (fermented soybeans).

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Ghost

(The characters are unclear but probably say 'obake' which means 'ghost')

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The Kabuto-Base Cicada

(The characters say 'semi' which means 'cicada')

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Wind-blown Hat

(The characters say 'kazaori eboshi' which means 'wind-blown hat')

This is another type of formal samurai hat, this time with the peak folded down to one side, styled to look blown over by the wind.

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The Kabuto

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Kitsune

(The characters say 'kitsune' which means 'fox spirit')

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The Cigar Case

(The characters say 'senba' which means 'warhorse' or 'wharf' and bear no easily understood reference to the form of the design.)

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Raccoon Dog

(The characters say 'tanuki' which means 'raccoon dog')

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Kofune

(The characters say 'kofune' which means 'small boat')

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Kikuzara

(The characters say 'kikuzara' which means 'chrysanthemum dish')

Note that somewhat unusually this version of the design is five-sided.

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Takarabune (aka Chinese Junk)

(The characters say 'chousen fune' which translates as 'korean boat')

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The Sanbo on Legs

(The characters say 'yotsu ashi sanbou' which translates as 'four-legged sanbo')

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Go Board

(The characters say 'go ban' wich translates as 'go board')

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One-legged Umbrella Ghost

(The characters say 'kasa no ippon ashi' which means one-legged umbrella ghost')

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The Cut Frog

(The characters say 'kawazu' which means 'frog')

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Turtle (presumably cut)

(The characters say 'kame' which means 'turtle')

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The Lotus

(The characters say 'renge' which means 'lotus flower')

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The Windmill

(The characters say 'kazaguruma' which means 'windmill')

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Fox

(The characters say 'kitsune' which means 'fox spirit')

Compare to the other, similar, kitsune design above.

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Tonosama

(The characters say 'tonosama' which means 'nobleman')

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Okusama

(The characters say 'okusama' which means 'noblewoman')

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Fukusuke

(The characters say 'fukusuke')

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Flying Crane

(The characters say 'tsuru' which neans 'crane')

This design appears to have both feet and a tail.

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The Iris

(The characters say 'kakitsubaka' which means 'iris')

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Nikki Danjo

(The characters say 'Nikki Danjo')

Nikki Danjo is a popular kabuki character - an evil magician.)

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Ocho and Mecho

(The characters say 'ochou mechou')

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One Hundred Cranes

(The characters say 'hyakkaku' which means 'one hundred cranes')

This is an illustration taken from the 'Senbazuru Orikata'.

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Selected Pages

Tsutsumi and Noshi - Wrappers

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Making a Square from an Oblong

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One Fold Symmetry Patterns

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Two Fold Symmetry Patterns

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Three Fold Symmetry Patterns

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Four Fold Symmetry Patterns

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Five Fold Symmetry Patterns

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Folds of Life

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