Origami: How to fold Kumamon

‘Kumamon’ is a local costumed mascot character,

which was produced when all the lines of Kushu Shinkansen (Bullet trains)

were open in March, 2011 as a start!★

Kumamon is just as popular as ‘Hikonyan’,

which is a character in Hikone city among local Yuru Chara

(cute, cuddly, and sometimes bizarre mascot).

Let’s fold such a popular ‘Kumamon’ among children,

which is so adorable with its innocent face with red cheeks!♪

★Origami How to fold Kumamon Ver.1

【How to fold】

1） First, we will make a body.  Fold it in half twice to make two triangles.

2） Open it up and fold each corner to the middle with colored side facing down.

3) Turn it over and four each corner to the middle again.

4) Open it up and fold both sides to the middle along the dotted lines.

5) Fold it using the creases that you made, like the picture below.

6) Fold both bottom corners up along the dotted lines.

7) Open each triangle part and fold it inside, like the pictures below.

They will be legs.

8) Open the top parts to 90 degrees like the pictures below.

9) Turn it over and fold them inside along the dotted lines.

They will be arms and hands.

10) And the body part is done!

11) Next, we will make a face.  Fold it in half to make a triangle.

12) Change the direction (upside down)

and fold them along the dotted lines, like the picture belows.

(a mountain fold for both ends and a valley fold for the middle)

13) Fold them the same way for the other side too.

14) Fold each corner behind along the dotted lines and make the face round.

15) Make eyes, ears, eyebrows, a mouth and cheeks with colored

(white, red and pink) paper and put them with glue.

16) Draw eyes, a nose and a mouth and put them to the body.  And it’s done!

★Origami How to fold Kumamon Ver.2

【How to fold】

1) Fold it in half to make a triangle.

2) Fold both sides toward the middle along the dotted lines.

3) Change the direction (upside down)

and fold each corner toward outside along the dotted lines.

4) Fold both corners toward inside along the dotted lines.

5) Fold the bottom part up along the dotted line.

6) Fold the top corners down to make a face round.

7) Turn it over.

8) Make eyes, ears, eyebrows, a mouth and cheeks and draw eyes,

a nose and a mouth just like you did in Ver.1.  And it’s done!

I showed you the one with a face and a body and the one with a face.

The one with a face is so easy to fold,

so you can enjoy folding it with your child!♪

‘Kumamon’, who was selected as a sales manager

and also a happiness manager of Kumamoto Prefecture,

has been engaged with working hard by looking

for surprises or happiness around him! ♥

Let’s look for happiness with ‘Kumamon’！

【Translated by　 Kana Toda PIERCE】