Origami (折り紙 or 折紙 origami "paper folding") is the art of paper folding. The goal of this art is to create a given result using geometric folds and crease patterns. The word literally means "paper folding" in Japanese and refers to all types of paper folding, even those of non-Japanese origin.

Origami only uses a small number of different folds, but they can be combined in a variety of ways to make intricate designs. In general, these designs begin with a square sheet of paper, whose sides may be different colors, and proceed without cutting the paper. Contrary to most popular belief, traditional Japanese origami, which has been practiced since the Edo era (1603-1867), has often been less strict about these conventions, sometimes cutting the paper during the creation of the design (Kirigami 切り紙) or starting with a rectangular, circular, or other non-square sheets of paper. It's also possible to create folds from triangular paper.

The "invention" of paper folding probably followed soon after the invention of paper itself. The earliest known traditions of paper folding were of ritual origin. The earliest known Japanese origami is probably ceremonial paper folding, such as noshi (熨斗), which started in Muromachi era (1392-1573). In Korea, ancestral tablets made of paper, known as jibang (지방), were folded in a prescribed manner handed down the family line for use in ancestral worship ceremonies. The earliest known European origami is probably the baptismal certificate of 16th century, represented by a little bird (pajarita in Spanish or cocotte in French).

An origami design can be as simple as a party hat or paper airplane, or as complex as a model of the Eiffel Tower, a leaping gazelle or a stegosaurus that takes an hour and a half to fold. Sometimes the most complex origami models must be folded from foil instead of paper; this allows more layers before the paper becomes impractically thick. Modern origami has broken free from the traditional linear construction techniques of the past, and models are now frequently wet-folded or constructed from materials other than paper and foil. The Japanese do not see origami as an art form, but rather as an integrated part of their culture and tradition.

Joseph Albers, the father of modern color theory and minimalistic art, taught origami and paper folding in the 1920s and 30s. His methods, which involved sheets of round paper that were folded into spirals and curved shapes, have influenced modern origami artists like Kunihiko Kasahara. Friedrich Fröbel, founder of the kindergartens, recognized paper binding, weaving, folding, and cutting as teaching aids for child development during the early 1800s.

The work of Akira Yoshizawa of Japan, a prolific creator of origami designs and writer of books on origami, inspired a modern renaissance of the craft. His work was promoted through the studies of Gershon Legman as published in the seminal books of Robert Harbin Paper Magic and more so in Secrets of the Origami Masters which revealed the wide world of paperfolding in the mid 1960s. Modern origami has attracted a worldwide following, with ever more intricate designs and new techniques such as 'wet-folding,' the practice of dampening the paper somewhat during folding to allow the finished product to hold shape better, and variations such as modular origami also known as unit origami, where many origami units are assembled to form an often decorative whole.

Recent historians have uncovered the lost origami Tamatebako, a model from the folk tale of "Urashima-Taro and the Tamatebako". A three volume wood cut book, "Ranma-Zushiki", published in 1734, contained two pictures that were identified by Yasuo Koyanagi in 1993 as the Tamatebako model. Masao Okamura, an origami historian, was able to recreate the model. The model, contrary to common theory of traditional origami, involved cutting and gluing.

One of the most famous origami designs is the Japanese crane. The crane is auspicious in Japanese culture. Japan has launched a satellite named tsuru (crane). Legend says that anyone who folds one thousand paper cranes will have their heart's desire come true. The origami crane (折鶴 orizuru in Japanese) has become a symbol of peace because of this legend, and because of a young Japanese girl named Sadako Sasaki. Sadako was exposed to the radiation of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima as an infant, and it took its inevitable toll on her health. She was then, a hibakusha -- an atom bomb survivor. By the time she was twelve in 1955, she was dying of leukemia. Hearing the legend, she decided to fold 1,000 cranes so that she could live. However, it was not just for herself that she wished healing. It is said that what made the girl truly special in her effort was her additional wish to end all such suffering, to bring peace and healing to the victims of the world.

Sadako folded 644 cranes before she died. Her classmates continued folding cranes in honor of their friend. Sadako was buried with a wreath of 1,000 cranes. While her effort could not extend her life, it moved her friends to make a granite statue of Sadako in the Hiroshima Peace Park: a young girl standing with her hand outstretched, a paper crane flying from her fingertips. Every year the statue is adorned with thousands of wreaths of a thousand origami cranes. A group of one thousand paper cranes is called senbazuru in Japanese.

The tale of Sadako has been dramatized in many books and movies. In one version, Sadako wrote a haiku that translates into English as:

I shall write peace upon your wings, and you shall fly around the world so that children will no longer have to die this way.

Taking Origami developments into the 21st Century, designer Jay Cousins created a simpler form of Origami in plastic - dubbed orikaso. Influenced by the purity and beauty of Origami, and Japanese design principles, Orikaso processes can be used to create functional and useful products.

WASHI

Washi (和紙) or Wagami is a type of paper made in Japan. Washi is commonly made using fibers from the ganpi plant, mitsumata plant, or the paper mulberry but also can be made using bamboo, hemp, rice, and wheat.

Washi is generally tougher than paper made from wood pulp and it is used in many traditional arts. Origami, Shodo, Ukiyoe were all produced using washi. Washi was also used to make various everyday goods like clothes, interior goods, and toys as well as a sacred cloth of Shinto priest, a statue of Buddha, and a wreath for winners in the 1998 Winter Paralympics. Washi was developed from the traditional way of paper making in China.

The process needed to make washi is similar to that of paper, but fewer chemicals are used to make it. Washi making is a long and intricate process often undertaken in the cold weather of winter. It is traditionally the winter work of farmers.

With enough processing, almost any grass or tree can be made into a washi. Gampi, mitsumata, and paper mulberry are three popular sources used to make washi.

• Ganpishi (雁皮紙) - In ancient times, it was called Hishi (斐紙). Ganpishi has a smooth, shiny surface and is used for books and crafts.

• Kozogami (楮紙) - Kozogami is made from paper mulberry and it is the most widely made type of washi. It has a toughness closer to a cloth than a paper and does not weaken significantly when treated to be water resistant.

• Mitsumatagami (三椏紙) - Mitsumatagami has an ivory colored, fine surface and is used for shodo as well as printing. It was used to print paper money in Meiji period.