origami
Whether you’re into origami, scrapbooking or decorating, these Japanese papers will bring the magic of Studio Ghibli to all your favourite projects.
This lamp folds in so many different ways that it’s like owning a thousand different lamps.
Tipping is a custom often debated in the world of customer service. Proponents of the practice believe workers are more motivated to give better service knowing that they will be paid better for doing so, while opponents argue that it shouldn’t be up to the customer to determine how much the employee gets paid.
But whether working for tips or not, if you treat the one serving you with kindness and respect, they are more likely to go out of their way to give you better service. Take, for example, this poster on Twitter, who left a little origami crane with a tip for the hotel cleaning staff, and in return got an even bigger surprise!
It’s been five years since Nissan launched its compact Juke SUV/crossover, and the company is celebrating with a very special fifth anniversary edition: a full-size origami model.
For one special little crane who thought he was destined for greater things than gathering dust on someone’s desk, dreams really can come true. The intricately folded origami bird proved that the sky’s the limit when it comes to development in Japan, as he was released to an enthralled audience of onlookers in Tokyo this week.
So how did the impossible become possible? We take a look at the video of the beautiful bird in flight and the team that gave him functional wings after the break.
Lexus has always admired the skills of the craftsmen and women who work on their production lines in Japan. Known as takumi, these highly trained Japanese production workers hone their dexterity skills by learning to fold an origami cat in 90 seconds—using only their non-dominant hand.
Now, Lexus UK has unveiled a stunning tribute to these skilled workers by creating a life-sized replica of the Lexus IS, using 1,700 pieces of laser-cut cardboard in what they’re calling the “Origami Car”. Complete with an electric motor, the cardboard vehicle can actually be driven. With the cardboard seats and interior, it won’t be an entirely practical, or legal, ride, but it would certainly be a memorable one!
Origami is one of Japan’s most well-known art forms. At its simplest, even children can enjoy it, and at its most complicated, it can be used for commercial purposes and designs. Now, one company has created special pieces of cloth that will automatically refold into their original origami forms after being stretched out. There doesn’t seem to be any particular, unique benefit to these pieces of fabric, but we sure want some!
Check out the mesmerizing video below!
With so many traditional arts, customs and practices, it’s not hard to fall in love with Japanese culture. For one French couple, it was a night of origami paper-folding with a Japanese friend that left a big impression. Intrigued by the art, they set upon a journey to recreate the folded designs in metal and not long afterwards, a gorgeous jewellery collection was born, featuring delicate animals, birds, crustaceans and dinosaurs.
People are often loathe to part with their books, even after they’ve finished reading them. Thick, hardbound editions in particular have a sense of presence that entices literature lovers to hang on to them.
Sure, maybe you’re never going to go back and leaf through that heavy tome again, but doesn’t it look stately as it sits on the shelf? It might, but it would look a lot cooler if you used the pages to make one of these amazing folded paper pieces of art.
So you’ve mastered the use of chopsticks and can proudly turn down the offer of a fork when you go to your favorite Asian restaurant. Many upscale eateries will probably supply you with a hashioki or chopstick rest to set the eating-end of your utensils on when not in use. At more casual restaurants, though, you have no choice but to lay them across your plate or setting them on a napkin so as not to touch the table’s surface.
Or, if you’re feeling crafty and would like to try your hand at some origami, you can use the paper wrapper your chopsticks came in to create a cute and useful peacock chopstick rest!
Becoming a doctor isn’t easy. We doubt there’s anyone who would disagree with that, and we get the feeling that everyone likes it that way. You probably prefer your medical professionals be overqualified to underqualified — delivering babies is a bit more complicated than delivering pizzas, right?
So, it’s only natural that doctors have to take a buttload of tests (that’s a metric buttload, of course), both practical and written. But one hospital in Japan that’s looking to hire some doctors from upcoming graduating classes has gotten creative with their practical tests. One step even includes folding a five-millimeter (0.19685-inche) origami crane.
At least Ant-Man will know who to call when he needs a tiny glider…
Origami is known worldwide as the art of paper-folding, and while most people associate it with Japanese culture, it also has history in China and Europe as well. We’re not sure what it is, but there is something strangely satisfying about turning a flat piece of paper into a three-dimensional model resembling anything from flowers to animals to vehicles.
One particularly fun shape to make are ninja throwing-stars, like the ones you see above. If you’re in the mood for some crafts and would like to give it a try, follow us after the jump to get started!
Ramen joints and other cheap restaurants in Japan often just leave a container of chopsticks out on the table for customers to grab a pair from. Classier dining establishments, however, set the table with a pair of chopsticks for each guest tucked inside of a paper chopstick sheath, called a hashibukuro in Japanese.
But what do you do once you’ve pulled your chopsticks out of the cover? You could leave the empty sheath lying on the table, or, seeing as how you’re sitting in a Japanese restaurant with a piece of paper, you could use it to make some cool origami art.
In Japanese culture, it’s believed that folding one thousand paper cranes will make your wish come true, leading this particular origami creation to represent hope and healing during challenging times. We’re not quite sure if the following video featuring five dancing paper cranes has the ability to heal anything, but it definitely has enough whimsy to make you smile.
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