Origami: How to fold a Kadomatsu (Japanese Ornament for the New Year)

We decorate Kadomatsu in the front the entrance

at a New Year’s season in Japan.★

This custom (decorating bamboos or pines at the entrance) is very old

and dates way back to Muromachi-era.

It’s said that ‘Toshigami’ (the God) visits us

towards this Kadomatsu’s mark during New Year.

Let’s try to fold such a Kadomatsu with origami paper!★

How to fold a Kadomatsu Ver.1

We will use two sheets of origami paper (green and brown)

You’ll see a Kadomatsu that’s just like a real one!★

1. First, we’re going to make bamboos and pines. Using a green one,

fold it in half twice along the dotted lines and make creases.

2. Fold both sides along the dotted lines.

3. Fold both sides along the dotted lines again.

4. Fold both sides along the dotted lines again.

5. Open it up all the way.

6. Along the creases that you made,

fold each crease so that it will look like a staircase.

7. Keep folding like a staircase.

8. Fold each side along the creases.

9. Fold each side along the dotted lines.

10. Fold the bottom part to where an arrow is pointing at.

11. After you made a crease, put it back.

12. Fold it up again, opening the parts that arrows are pointing at.

13. Spread them toward the outsides,

putting your finger to where the arrows are pointing at.

14. Fold it along the dotted line. (a mountain fold)

15. A part of Kadomatsu is done!

16. Next, we’re going to make a foundation.

Get a half-cut brown origami paper ready.

Fold it in half to make a crease.

17. Fold both sides to the crease.

18. Turn it over.

19. Fold the top part down along the dotted line.

20. Fold the half of the part up along the dotted line.

21. Turn it over.

22. Fold both sides to the middle.

23. Fold both sides along the dotted lines.

24. Turn it over.

25. Fold the bottom part behind.

26. And the foundation is done! Put it with the part you made together.

You can use take or glue as well.

27. And it’s done!

How did you like it?

It looks just like a real Kadomatsu, right?

You can adjust the length

by folding a long bamboo’s part behind too!

How to fold a Kadomatsu Ver.2

For this one, we’ll use three sheets of green origami paper.

It’s easy to fold.

It will be a little bigger than a palm-size.★

1. Fold it in half twice along the dotted lines to make creases.

2. Fold both sides to the middle along the dotted lines.

3. Turn it over.

4. Fold it in half along the dotted line.

5. Fold it down along the dotted line so that the ‘〇’ parts will overlap.

6. Turn it over.

7. Fold both sides to the middle along the dotted lines.

8.  Fold it toward outsides from where the arrows are pointing at.

9. Fold each corner down along the dotted lines.

10. Turn it over.

11. Fold it up along the dotted line.

12. Cut a yellow or a white sheet of origami paper

into a rhombus-shape and put it on this…

13. then one part is done! Make two more of this.

14. After you fold three parts,

put them together with tape or glue like the picture below. And it’s done!

Even though it’s simple,

it will look like a real Kadomatsu by putting three of them together, right?

You can not only use the same-color-origami paper

but you can choose the different-color-ones too!

Make your original Kadomatsu!★

How to fold a Kadomatsu Ver.3

We only need one sheet of origami paper for this one.

It’s not hard to fold, either.

You might want to use a colored-origami paper on both sides

if you want it to be prettier!♪

1. Fold it in half along the dotted line.

2. Fold it in half again along the dotted line.

3. Fold both sides to the middle along the dotted lines.

4. Turn it over.

5. Fold both sides to the middle along the dotted lines.

6. Turn it over again.

7. Fold both sides to the middle along the dotted lines.

8. Open them up.

9. Fold both parts up along the dotted lines.

10. Open them up after you made creases.

11. Fold them inside.

12. Fold them along the dotted lines.

13. Turn each sheet up (only the top layer).

14. Fold them along the dotted lines, according to the arrows.

15. And it’s done!

Today, I showed you three types of Kadomatsu.

They all are unique and wonderful, aren’t they?★

If you cannot decorate a real Kadomatsu at the entrance,

you can decorate these origami Kadomatsu as well!♥

【Translated by　 Kana Toda PIERCE】