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Last updated 21/12/2024

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'Origami Nippon' by Isao Honda is a paperback book published by Honda Origami Studio in Tokyo in 1970. The majority of the designs in the book are drawn from Honda's standard repertoire but the work also includes diagrams for two simple variants of the Flapping Bird (the second credited to Toshio Chino) a box by Kunihiko Kasahara and a 6-part modular cube by Mitsunobu Sonobe.

Apart from in these three instances, the author does not say whether the designs are traditional, his own original works or the original works of some other designer.

The author does not appear to be aware that a good few of the designs are of European rather than Japanese origin.

Roughly translated, the Introduction reads:

'Can you fold a crane?

" ...How many Japanese people today can fold a crane? If we're not careful, it looks as though origami will be taken over by the West and will follow the same path as judo,' said the weekly Yomiuri newspaper.

This is a quotation from a review of my book 'Traditional Japanese Origami' (list price 3,000 yen) but for me it was a real eye-opener.

"I wanted to make origami more accessible to the masses ... and this book is my reflection on this, following traditional techniques while illustrating them in a way that is easy to understand and has a modern flair."

Editorial Director, Isao Honda."

(The book on 'Traditional Japanese Origami' which the review refers to is 'Nihon no Kokoro Dento Origami' (Heart of Japan, Traditional Origami) by Isao Honda, which was published by Japan Publications in Tokyo in 1969. It is a Japanese language version of the hard-backed edition of the author's 'The World of Origami', which was published in English in 1965.)

By 'following traditional techniques' Honda appears to mean using straight line folds and cuts.

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Analysis

1. Butterfly - The Cut Butterfly

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2. Cup - The Paper Cup

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3. Basket - The Paper Cup Basket

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4. Work Hat - The Paper Cup Cap

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5. Hat - The Paper Cup Hat

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6. Long-Horned Helmet - The Long-Horned Kabuto

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7. Cicada (part 1) - The Fold-In Cicada

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8. Cicada (part 2) - The Fold-In Cicada

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9. Seagull - The Simple Duck

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10. Mandarin Duck - The Mandarin Duck

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11 and 12. Swans part 1 and 2 - The Simple Swan

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13. Shrimp - The Cut Shrimp

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14. Seal (Cut) - A cut version of The Fish-Base Seal

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15. Penguin - The Fish-Base Penguin

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16. Fox Mask - The Fox Mask

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17. Organ - The Organ

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18. Cloak - Yoshizawa's Cloak

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19. House - The Japanese House

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20. Boat

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21. American Soldier's Folded Hat - The Nurse's Cap

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22. Canoe-Shaped Boat - The Inside-Out Boat

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23. Fishing Boat - The Fishing Boat

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24. Balloon - The Waterbomb

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25. New Yakkosan - Yakkosan

The text says 'Since modern children could not understand we made them into a 'swaying toy' and a 'scarecrow''

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26. Pinwheel - The Bicolour Windmill

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27. Sanbo - The Sanbo

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28. Candy Stand - The Sanbo on Legs

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29. Winnowing basket - The Winnowing Box

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30. Box - The Blintz Box

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31. Lotus - The Lotus

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32. Rose - a compound variation of The Lotus

Made by inserting a smaller Lotus inside a larger one.

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33. Box

Attributed to Kunihiko Kasahara

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34. Hanabishi

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35. Star-Shaped Box - The Star-Shaped Box

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36. Kashibashi (sweet bowl) - The Cake Box

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37. Morning Glory / 38. Carnation - The Morning Glory (Cut)

The text says 'Morning Glories are idea for collage crafts, so we have also included instructions on how to cut the sepals.'

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39. Lily - The Lily

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40. Frog - The Inflatable Frog

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41. Orizuru - The Paper Crane

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42. Flapping Crane - a variant of The Flapping Bird

This design is the Flapping Bird with the neck thinned.

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43. Flapping Dove - a variant of The Flapping Bird

This design is the Flapping Bird with the tail thinned.

This design is attributed to Toshio Chino.

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44. Crow - The Crow with Legs

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45. Canary - The Cut Canary

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46. Goldfish - The Cut Bird-Base Goldfish

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47. Fish - The Cut Bird-Base Fish

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48. Hen - The Hen with Legs

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49. Red-Crowned Crane (part 1) - The Standing Crane

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50. Red-Crowned Crane (part 2) - The Standing Crane

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51. Dragonfly - Another Cut Dragonfly

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52. Flying Crane - The Cut Flying Crane

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53. Peacock - The Compound Peacock

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54. Pheasant - The Bird-Base Pheasant (Cut)

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Unnumbered - and not fully diagrammed

Shepherd Dog - Honda's Compound Fox

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55. Rabbit - Honda's Compound Rabbit

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56. Cat - Honda's Compound Cat

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57. Horse - Honda's Compound

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58. Donkey - Honda's Compound Donkey

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59. Deer - Honda's Compound Deer

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60. Goat - Honda's Compound Goat

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61. Pointer - Honda's Compound Dog

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62. Fox - Honda's Compound Fox

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63. Monkey - Honda's Compound Monkey

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64. Japanese Monkey - Honda's Compound Monkey

(with shortened tail)

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65. Baby Goat - Honda's Compound Baby Goat

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66. Lion - Honda's Compound Lion

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67. Polar Bear - Honda's Compound Polar Bear

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68. Elephant - Honda's Compound Elephant

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69. Wallet - The Three-Piece Purse

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70. Thread Holder - The Thread Container

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71. Tematebako - The Hexagonal Tematebako

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72. Kusudama Decoration - The Hexagonal Tematebako

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73. Puzzle Combination Box - The Tematebako

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74. Colour Box - The Sonobe Module and Cube

Attributed to Mitsunobu Sonobe

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