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Last updated 14/1/2025

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This article headed 'Recreation scientifiques' and subheaded 'La grenouille japonaise en papier' (The Japanese Paper Frog) explains how to make the Inflatable Frog (though the author does not appear to be aware that the frog can be inflated). The article is attributed to 'Dr Z...'. I do not know who used this nom de plume.

The article is interesting not only for the diagrams it contains but also for the incidental information it provides. In his introductory paragraphs 'Dr Z...' states, roughly, 'The Ministry of Public Education of Japan has sent to the Exhibition (ie the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1889) an interesting series of industrial and artistic designs ... made by children of both sexes in the country's school rooms ... but one can notice others which are not less curious. These are the recreational works done by the small children of the Azabu private school in Tokyo. The series of displays showing cut out and coloured papers combined to make flowers, butterflies or marquetry designs are quite attractive and our children would probably be happy to know how to make such pretty things. In France, it is true, we also know the charming game of folding paper. The classic Cocotte, the box and the galiote etc., are popular here but we must agree that the Japanese have more ingenious models. The Frog that we put in front of our young readers is an example. It is thanks to MM, the commissioner of Japan, that we have been able to trace the figures necessary for its execution'.

At the end 'Dr Z...' adds, again roughly, 'La Nature has previously given another example of the Japanese game of paperfolding, which was how to make the paper bird (ie the Flapping Bird). We also noticed in the exhibition other designs among which were the crab from red paper, the junk (la jonque) and the hat of Daimios (probably a reference to a Daimyo - a Japanese feudal aristocrat), the parrot etc., The way these designs are made has many points of resemblance to the Frog.'

The crab is presumably the crab from the Kan No Mado. The hat of Daimios may well be the Kabuto. La Jonque could be the Takarabune. The marquetry designs may possibly be Froebelian Forms of Beauty. However, lacking illustrations, it is not possible to identify any of these designs with certainty.

According to Wikipedia Azabu school 'was founded by Soroku Ebara, a Japanese educator in the transitional period of Japan, in 1895. ... It was founded as the middle school at the Toyo Eiwa School but received its new name, Azabu Ordinary Middle School, during the first academic year.'

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