The Public Paperfolding History Project

Main Index Page

Last updated 18/8/2024

x

Origami (Part 1) by Isao Honda, 1931
 
'Origami (Part 1)' by Isao Honda was published in Japan, in Japanese, in 1931. I do not believe it has ever been issued in an English language version. As far as I know it was the first of Honda's books on origami to be published. Part 2 of the work was published in the following year.

This work is mentioned in Gershon Legman's 'Bibliography of Paperfolding' which was published in 1952.

I do not read Japanese but as far as I know Honda does not give historical information about the designs he includes.

In addition it is important to note that, according to information about the author received from Koshiro Hatori, 'Aspiring to be a painter, he (Isao Honda) traveled to Europe in 1908 (with some references to 1905) and studied Western painting and printing in Paris and London.'

Because of this we cannot be certain in all cases whether the designs in this book are traditional Japanese designs, designs brought to Japan by Froebelian educators, Honda's own inventions or adaptations, or designs learned during his time studying in the West.

The book is split into a main work and a supplement. I am not sure why.

A full copy of the work can be accessed here.

Numbers and titles in regular print are taken from the original text. Emboldened titles are standardised names used for the design throughout this site.

Some of the English names are taken from Isao Honda's later work, in English, 'The World of Origami'.

**********

The Main Work

1, Shawl

**********

2, Emperor and Empress Dolls / 3, The Pigeon (The Dove)

**********

4, The Nightingale

**********

5, The Japanese House / 6, The Pig

**********

7, The Train

**********

8, Unnumbered - The House / The Piano (The Sofa) / 9, The Wallet / 10, The Fox Mask

(The House only appears as a step towards the folding of the Piano rather than a design in its own right).)

**********

11, The Penguin

**********

12, The Seal / 13, The Simple Crow / 14, The Pigeon

**********

15, Cicada No 1

**********

16, The Kabuto / 17, The Turtle

**********

18, Nagakabuto (The Party Hat)

**********

19, The Seabream and 20, The Goldfish / 21, Cicada No 2

**********

22, Plane

**********

23, Carrier Pigeon

**********

24, Jiyuban (the undershirt)

**********

25, The Crane

**********

26, The Dragonfly - The Cut Dragonfly / 27, The Heron - The Cut Heron

(Pictures only - no folding diagrams)

**********

28, The Swallow - The Cut Swallow / 29, The Copper Pheasant

**********

30, The Crab

**********

31, Crow (with Legs)

**********

32, The Nesting Crane

**********

33, Hachihenge (Bird Base Picture Form)

**********

34, Kago (Palanquin or Sedan Chair)

**********

35, Compound Slit and Fold Designs

**********

36, The Hibachi / 37, The Postman

**********

38, Candy Bowl (Star-Shaped Box)

**********

39, The Octopus / 40, The Blow-up Frog

**********

41, Basket (variant of the Cake Box below) / 42, The Incense Box

**********

43, The Lily / 44, Kinchaku (Drawstring Bag)

**********

45, The Cake Box

**********

46, The Fox Face / 47, The Morning Glory

**********

48, The Fat Sparrow

**********

49, The Balloon (The Waterbomb)

**********

50, Mushikago (Insect Basket)

**********

51, The Winnowing Box / 52, The Masu

**********

53, The Peacock

**********

54, Pleated Butterfly

**********

55, The Double Boat / 56, Flower Form (The Windmill Base)

**********

57, Windmill Base Table / 58, Lion Dance (Windmill Base Picture Form)

**********

59 and 60, Windmill Base Flower Patterns

***********

61, The Tobacco Case

**********

The Supplement

1, Noshi

**********

2, Envelope with Noshi (1)

**********

3, Mizuhiki Knotting

**********

4, Crane Envelope

**********

5, Sesame Wrap

**********

6, Envelope with Noshi (2)

**********

7, Plain Envelope

**********

8, Unidentified Decoration

**********

9, Purse

**********

10, Kimono

**********

11, Simple Crane

**********

13, Simple Tortoise

**********

12 and 14, Crane and Tortoise

**********

In the following section, which gives instructions for napkin folds, the names appear in the text in English as well as Japanese, suggesting that the author learned these folds during his time in the West.

15, The Prism

**********

16, The Bishop's Crown (The Pipe Cap)

**********

17, Lunch

**********

18, Fan

**********

19, Dahlia

**********

20, Orchid

**********