We were free of school when we moved to Japan and that's the same thing as not having to go to prison. We couldn't believe our good luck in skipping the whole Easter season. The entire time we were at the huge complex Green Park there was no school for us. So the origami package was picked up the next stop. This odd package was opened in a tiny house off base with the oddest bath tub we've ever seen. I used the book that came with the strangely attractive and precisely tissue-thin square paper, colored on one side only and white on the other. I went through all the exercises in the book and noted their similarities, say, the construction for a frog being similar for a crane. I used the whole package of paper.
The strange paper folding art form cannot be avoided. It's everywhere. I don't think it is possible to end a tour without somehow learning to fold a crane.
The basic form has strict rules. Perfectly square paper, and no glue. Later forms developed from dollar bills and the like, but the basic form is simple and solid rules. No tearing, drawing, cutting, glueing, just folding a square.
You can buy a kit on Amazon for your kids or your grandkids cheaply. I'm pretty sure they will enjoy indulging the book and learning how to manage the paper.
My pop-ups are very different from origami and they don't adhere to any of origami's simple rules. But that was the start of interest in what paper can do and what books and cards can do so it's satisfying to see all those dots all at once meaning Japan. Although not origami Japanese are still mad over paper and mad for pop-ups. They display Western pop-up books and wear white gloves to handle modern Sabuda and Reinhart productions.
Well, that makes me feel great. Somebody is learning from me whence I was taught. *glows* I cannot be the only one this sort of thing happens to. Even Oprah Winfrey has a word for it. Please, tell us what happened with you.
