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PREFACE BY KIYO YOSHIZAWA

The Art of Origami:

Poetry in Three Dimensions

Origami is an artistic form achieved by folding a sheet of paper according to a system of lines and surfaces. This art has aroused deep interest throughout the world for some time and is becoming ever more widespread.

This book brings together over 60 origami models that originally appeared in two books by the origami master Akira Yoshizawa—Utsukushii Origami [Beautiful Origami] and Yasashii Origami [Easy Origami]—published in Japan in 1974 and 1978. The book addresses readers of different generations and takes them on their first steps into the land of origami, with models ranging from ones easily understood and constructed to those of the highest level of difficulty.

In every case, the pieces selected from the body of work created by Akira Yoshizawa over many years are accompanied by the master’s original diagrams and presented with color photographs by Kazuo Hamada with my collaboration and accompanied by many interesting pieces of information.

It was a deeply emotional experience for me opening the old boxes and taking out the origami wrapped in tissue paper. As they stood before me, pulsating with life, they took my breath away with their elegance.

Every country has a unique history, culture and traditions. In Japan, paper-making techniques passed down from distant epochs have evolved into a product of supreme value. High-quality hand-crafted Japanese paper (washi) has always been regarded as something rare and precious. For these origami, the master chose paper that was best suited to the subject and the purpose of the model.

This book presents origami conceived expressly for the enjoyment of young children as well as those with educational content, in addition to origami for adults. A variety of folding techniques are demonstrated in the easiest subjects in the second part of the book.

Animals seem to come to life, birds to sing, flowers to emit fragrance…. The master taught us the importance of observation, of being perpetually conscious of our surroundings.

Every system of folds is a mathematical object with a component of physics, to which

is added the important element of nature with her laws. Every single crease made by a fold possesses its own particular function.

I wish with all my heart that appreciation of the kind of origami invented and disseminated by the master, this type of artistic sculpture created in paper composed of soft vegetal fibers, will continue to become ever more widespread in the future.

Kiyo Yoshizawa, October 2014

Issunboshi or Little One-Inch, the Japanese Tom Thumb character in a popular fairy tale, fighting an ogre, displayed at the exhibition Akira Yoshizawa: The World of Creative Origami, Sano Art Museum, Mishima, 2014.