Origami is a traditional Japanese craft and artwork made from a single sheet of paper. It's like magic. Our today's theme is "figures." Meet an artist from Finland who folds Japanese samurai and knights, and a Japanese artist who creates Japanese Buddhist statues. Also, our origami expert "Dr. Origami" will teach you how to make an easy-to-fold "samurai helmet." Welcome to the magical world of origami!
Starring: Kenichi Takitoh (Dr. Origami)
Ready, steady, magic!
Do you know what "origami" is?
It is magic made from a single sheet of paper.
"Origami" is an easy, yet profound traditional Japanese culture,
which can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere with anyone.
Today, we showcase the amazingly imaginative creations of origami artists from around the globe.
Also, stay tuned for an origami lesson with our expert Dr. Origami!
He will teach us a few folding tricks in a fun and easy-to-follow way.
Get ready to see the extraordinary Origami Magic!
Dr. Origami, what is our today's theme?
It's "figures!"
Oh! "Figures?"
This is a "samurai" with his "katana" in hand... clad in heavy armor.
He has a powerful expression, as if shouting.
This is a fully armored knight.
In his hands, a long sword and a large shield.
These pieces, including the weapons and armor, are folded from a single sheet of paper.
They were made by Juho Könkköla, a Finnish origami artist.
Könkköla lives in the city of Jyväskylä, in central Finland.
This quiet city, surrounded by nature, is a perfect place to relax.
As a child, Könkköla would practice origami through the few books on it he could find at the library.
Eventually, he began to create original models.
After graduating from university, he took part in a young artists exhibition in Helsinki.
His works attracted much attention, and he began to receive requests for corporate advertisements and exhibitions.
Könkköla's works primarily feature warriors and knights.
I have always been interested in warriors, knights, and the "samurai."
But also, they have a lot of intricate details, and they are very difficult to create.
So that is the main reason why I like to do them.
He says that the more complex the equipment and weapons are,
the more rewarding they are to create.
His creative process begins with research.
I studied photos, videos, and even read books about them to learn in what kind of world they lived in,
and what kind of characters they are, and what they are wearing.
I sometimes visit museums to see them in person.
After that, he writes down the details of the model in a crease pattern.
The design process takes a minimum of several weeks.
He uses white paper to make it easier for the viewer to recognize the material.
It also works well with any model.
To avoid staining the paper, his routine involves thoroughly wiping his workstation and washing his hands.
Currently, he is folding a 68-centimeter square sheet of paper.
After repeatedly folding and unfolding the paper to make countless creases...
He begins the folding process from the edge.
Once the entire shape is folded, using his fingertips...
He creates the details of the face, hands, and such.
For the finer details, he uses a toothpick.
Sometimes, he brushes the paper with water.
Wet paper hardens when it dries, which helps it keep shape.
After 50 hours of folding...
He has created... A "samurai warrior."
Fully clad in heavy armor, a sharp sword in hand...
And wearing a fanged helmet.
The next piece however is the most complex piece he has ever worked on.
It is made from a single sheet of paper...
and shows two knights in combat.
Looking at it from the back, one can see they are connected by their capes.
Wearing determined expressions, they wield their swords, ready to leap at one another.
It is quite a dynamic piece.
From the initial concept to completion, this piece took two and a half years.
109 hours were spent working on the thousands of folds.
I think the difficulty and the endless possibilities to explore are the main reasons why I like origami.
There is always something interesting to learn, and there are always more and more difficult origamis to fold.
We are certain Könkköla's works will continue to impress!
You too can make magic happen with a piece of paper!
It's time for Dr. Origami's origami lesson!
Folding time!
Doctor, what are we making today?
Ta-dah! A helmet!
It's a "samurai helmet!"
In Japan, children make them with newspaper to play.
Let's make origami!
Is it okay to use newspaper?
It's not square.
Watch this.
There's an easy
way to turn this rectangle into a square.
- Oh! I can't see!
- OK! Let's move on.
First, we fold this into a triangle.
Now, along this line here...
We fold the left side inward.
And now when you open the triangle you folded...
- There! It's a square!
- Oh, nice!
Now, let's fold our helmet!
We'll use the newspaper we just folded.
Let's begin!
First, we fold it in half to make a triangle.
Then fold the side corners toward the top.
Rotate the paper.
Fold the corners in the opposite direction.
- The paper's big, but it's surprisingly easy to fold.
- Mmm, right!
Next, take this corner and fold it like this.
We fold it so it pokes out the side.
This is the decorative part of the helmet.
Doctor, are we almost done?
Someone's impatient!
- There's a few more steps, so please wait a bit.
- Alright.
We'll continue later.
Buddhism has been deeply rooted in the culture and life of Japanese people for centuries.
Statues are the object of worship in Buddhism.
Even such statues can be made with origami.
Mashiko Ryosuke.
He creates works of art with origami, while studying artificial intelligence at the University of Tokyo.
Here are some of his works.
"Asura," a guardian deity of the Buddhist law has six arms and three faces.
This complex Buddhist statue is made from a sheet of square origami.
This is "Taishakuten," a guardian deity riding an elephant.
All the parts are made with a big sheet of paper.
Can you tell the difference in texture between the two?
"Taishakuten" is made with the front and the elephant is made with backside of the paper.
The facial details, the layered folds of the robe,
and the weapon in the deity's hand are all elaborately folded.
Mashiko, who creates such ambitious works,
has nineteen years of experience in folding origami.
He began folding at the age of three
and started creating original origami models in middle school.
His works are very realistic.
He is very particular about the paper.
At times, he even paints it himself or uses multiple sheets of paper pasted together.
Recently, Mashiko has been pouring his creativity into making Buddhist statues.
I thought that religion was a vital theme...
when thinking about human beings
and how AI might supersede us.
The Buddhist statue is
an important motif which suggests that.
Mashiko uses traditional "washi" paper.
He uses paper of different thicknesses and textures depending on the model.
He starts by making diagonal creases.
He continues to make them while rotating the paper.
He folds in the creases into a lattice shape.
Then, he starts working on the face.
By lifting and curving the paper, the face begins to take shape.
He folds the tip in half and bends it back.
A round head has been formed.
Then, he gathers the paper to the center, putting its hands together.
Finished.
He has created a "Jizo statue," a familiar sight in Japan.
I made sure not to make unnecessary creases.
I bended the paper only partically,
and made the features little by little.
Mashiko has created many paper Buddhist statues.
When he got stuck and was in need of inspiration,
he went to Koyasan in Wakayama Prefecture, which is a sacred Buddhist area.
Folding a paper Buddhist statue required
an entirely different approach from me.
I couldn't make it casually.
Getting in the right mental headspace before
creating this kind of statue was crucial for me.
After looking at the Buddhist statues, and doing some meditation,
he sat back down to folding with a clear mind.
This is what he made.
A "Dainichi Nyorai" statue.
When put in the sun, it looks like it's glowing.
The tiny, one-centimeter crane on the crown is Mashiko's personal touch.
There's kindness hidden in the expressionless face.
I heard that hand gestures are important in Buddhism,
so I took great care to get them right.
The statue is displayed at one of the temples, putting its visitors in awe.
Buddhism has a longer history
in Japan than origami.
They are both wonderful in their own way.
I thought that combined they could
bring about a new kind of beauty.
I intend to keep exploring new forms.
This young artist, who explores new expressions in origami art,
is worth putting on your radar!
Doctor, let's finish our helmet.
Picking up where we left off, we start with this shape.
Take the top sheet in the bottom corner, then fold it upward.
Halfway, here.
Fold it to around here or so.
Fold it one more time along this line.
We fold the remaining sheet upward too and make a crease.
- Now put it in here.
- Oh!
Our helmet is complete!
Wow!
A helmet! I feel a little stronger!
How was it, everyone?
Did you manage to make magic?
It's ORIGAMI MAGIC!
How did you like the figures painstakingly created
by the curious and talented origami artists?
Their works impress us with intricate techniques and expressiveness.
They are truly magical!
What other paper creations are waiting for us to discover?
We hope you will join us again on "Origami Magic!"
Have a magical origami life, everyone!
Princess! Where are you?
I'm on my way!