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Last updated 9/4/2025

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'Origami: Volume 1' by Tokinobu and Hideko Mihara was published by the Oriental Culture Book Company in San Francisco. The work is not dated but the website of Paper Tree, another business set up by the authors, states that 'The Mihara's published one of the first origami books in English in the 1950's' (see here). I have therefore temporarily assigned Volume 1 to 1959 and Volume 2 to 1960 pending more specific information becoming available. It is possible that the actual first date of publication is earlier, possibly as early as 1957, although I can not find any written evidence to confirm this earlier date.

This page is based on a copy of the work kindly made available to me by the British Origami Society.

The work explains how to fold twelve simple designs, two of which are cut. Of these twelve designs, six were imported to Japan from the Western tradition. The authors, however, show no sign of having been aware of this.

The work includes actual folded examples of all twelve designs as well as step-by-step diagrams

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Analysis

Cup (Koppu) - The Paper Cup

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Handbag (Tesage) (Cut) -

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House (Iye) - The House

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Piano (Pi-a-no) - The Organ

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Pigeon (Hato) - The Albatross

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Fox (Kitsune) - The Fox Mask

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Twin Boats (Nisoo-bune) - The Double Boat

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Windmill (Kazagaruma) - The Windmill

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Balloon or Papar Ball (Temari) - The Waterbomb

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Helmet (Kabuto) - The Kabuto

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Goldfish (Kin-gyo) (Cut) - The Cut Goldfish

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Crane (Tsuru) - The Paper Crane

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