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Last updated 22/1/2026

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'Origami: Volume 1' by Tokinobu and Hideko Mihara was published by the Oriental Culture Book Company in San Francisco in 1959. The work itself is not dated but the date of publication can be substantiated from an article in the issue of Hokubei Mainichi of 16th November 1959 which says 'Mihara came out last week with a beautifully bound illustrated book on origami' (see below).

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.

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

This work formed the basis of a TV Series about Origami on KQED, San Francisco which aired in February 1960.

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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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