The Way Of The Sword (36 page)

Step 2.
Turn the paper over, so it is coloured side down. Fold it in half to make a wide rectangle and open. Then fold it in half to make a tall rectangle and open.

Step 3.
With the coloured side down, bring the four corners of the square up and together. Flatten paper so you end up with a small folded square one quarter the size of the original paper.

Step 4.
Fold the top triangular flaps on the right- and left-hand sides into the centre to make a kite shape. Then unfold.

Step 5.
Fold the top corner of the model downwards, crease well and unfold.

Step 6.
Take the bottom corner of the upper layer and pull it up, so that it forms a canoe shape. Press down so that the sides of this canoe shape flatten to make a diamond shape. Flatten down, creasing well.

Step 7.
Turn the paper over and repeat steps 4, 5 and 6 on the other side. The paper is now a flat diamond shape.

Step 8.
The top half of the diamond is solid, but the bottom half seems to have two legs. Fold the upper layer of both legs into the centre line.

Step 9.
Turn over and repeat the fold on the legs on that side, too. The diamond shape is now more like a kite.

Step 10.
Fold both legs of the model up, crease very well, then unfold.

Step 11.
Holding the right leg of the kite shape, open it up and reverse fold the leg along the central crease. Raise the leg up and position it inside the top part of the kite then flatten it. Repeat on the other side.

Step 12.
There are now two narrow points sticking out. These are going to form the head and tail of the crane. Take the point on the right and bend the tip down, reversing the crease and pinching it, to form the beak of the crane.

Step 13.
Fold down the wings.

Step 14.
Finally, pull the wings and blow into the hole underneath to open out the body to complete your
origami
crane.

‘Congratulations!’ says Sensei Yamada. ‘A crane isn’t easy to fold, but you have to remember that becoming a true samurai takes time.’

For other models and additional help, see video at
youngsamurai.com

Credits: lesson by Akemi Solloway Sensei, lecturer of Japanese culture and eldest daughter of a samurai family, website “solloway.org”:solloway.org; diagrams courtesy of Robyn Hondow, website
origami-fun.com
.