Origami Day – Celebrating Paper Folding Across the World
Origami is a common art and also a high conceptual technique. This is why it has grown beyond simple hobby into an area of serious academic study. For the joy it brings alone, it deserves to be celebrated and Origami Day aims to do just that.
When is Origami Day
Origami Day is celebrated on November 11th. It has grown into a larger event starting from October 24th and culminating in November 11. See more about that under the History section below.
What is Origami Day
Origami Day is an annual celebration of the ancient art of Japanese paper folding called Origami. Some form of paper folding craft has existed and developed independently in other pockets around the world since the invention of paper, but origami has become the poster child for the entire genre of crafts.
Origami has grown and changed over time, from a religious practice in ancient times, to a pastime of the nobility in the medieval era, to a children’s hobby more recently. It is much more though. Origami has interacted with and contributed to mathematics, geometry, the sciences and technology.
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Folding a flat sheet of paper into interesting shapes has not only resulted in a variety of new techniques and methods in several fields, it has also become a popular hobby and personal practice for calm and enjoyment. All these things are worth celebrating, making Origami Day an ideal universal celebration.
The History of Origami Day
Origami no Hi – Japan Origami Day
Japanese Origami Day was declared a commemorative day in 1980 by the Nippon Origami Association (NOA). November 11 was designated Origami no Hi (折り紙の日) to celebrate the Japanese practice and craft.
In the 1950s, in the post World War 2 era, the tragic death of Sadako Sasaki, a radiation affected girl from Hiroshama who was trying to fold a thousand origami cranes to fulfill her wish of getting better, stirred up a widespread movement for peace that was centered around origami. Monuments were built to Sadako and her quest, always prominently featuring the origami crane.
This cemented the reputation of origami as a vehicle of international peace and cooperation. Since November 11 was celebrated as World Peace Day, commemorating the end of World War 1 in 1918, the NOA selected November 11 as Origami Day.
The date November 11’s numerals “1-1-1-1” were also a numerical metaphor for the equal sides of the square piece of paper that lies at the heart of origami.1
National, International & World Origami Day?
Origami no Hi became Japan’s National Origami Day, but it’s adoption remained a niche and local phenomenon for the most part, celebrated by some international origami clubs and bodies over the years.
In 2005 OrigamiUSA (the main US origami association) suggested celebrating October 24 as World Origami Day, which fell on the birthday of Lillian Oppenheimer, a important figure in the spread of origami in the western world and the founder of both OrigamiUSA and the British Origami Society.
Makoto Yamaguchi, founder of Gallery Origami House in Japan and board member of several international origami bodies pointed out the long existing Origami no Hi on November 11. In response, OrigamiUSA decided to designate the days from October 24 to November 11 as World Origami Days, a international celebration of origami across borders and origami related disciplines.2
The Meaning of Origami Day
In essence, Origami Day celebrates a craft and an art, but through it it celebrates peace, and the idea of the people of the World working together.
Origami has been and continues to be a collaborative art. Each practitioner works off the bases and designs of thousands of paper folders and designers who came before them.
Traditional origami from hundreds of years ago belongs to everyone and are shared widely. The authors of these original designs are lost in time but those pieces form the foundation of everything we fold today.
From ancient fingers to ours today, Origami Day is a celebration of peace and collaboration between all people.
Activities for Celebrating Origami Day
Since the early days, Origami Day has been celebrated by folding sessions, workshops and spreading the techniques of paper folding to new people. These are all good starting points and here are more specific suggestions if you’re looking for ways to celebrate Origami Day in your city or neighborhood, wherever on the planet you fold paper.
- Conduct a short and approachable origami workshop for beginners
- Bring together a large group of people and fold 1000 origami cranes together.
- Conduct a workshop on the origami bird base and a few models you can fold from it.
- Do a fun presentation on the various modern uses of origami techniques, from robotics to space exploration.
- Get a class in school to make a simple origami model of their choice following books or videos and get them to decorate it with art materials.
- Teach a mixed group of adults and children how to make several types of paper airplanes.
- Teach a simple origami module and how it can be assembled into modular origami.
Origami Day FAQs
When is Origami day?
Origami Day is celebrated on 11th November every year. In Japan, where the celebration originated, it is referred to as 折り紙の日 (Origami no Hi).
When did Origami Day begin?
November 11 was declared as Origami Day in 1980 in Japan.
Why is Origami Day celebrated on November 11?
November 11 was originally called Armistice Day to commemorate the signing of the Armistice of 1918, which ended World War 1. Later called Remembrance Day, Veteran’s Day and Peace Day in various parts of the world, it has remained a day to remember all that was lost in the wars of the past and a day to come together for peace.
When the story of Sadako Sasaki and the 1000 cranes grew in notoriety after World War 2, origami cranes and origami in general became a symbol of peace, so November 11 was deemed an appropriate day to celebrate the craft.
November 11 was also chosen for Origami Day because the date read 11/11. The 1-1-1-1 being similar to the 4 equal sides of a square which is so crucial to the art of origami.
Who originated Origami Day?
Origami Day was first declared by the Nippon Origami Association (NOA).
Go out there and fold your heart out.
