TRAVEL JOURNAL
Origami Patterns,�
Nature, and ��Natural Designs
TOTS JAPAN 2025 STUDY TOUR
Take-and-Go Resource
Resources gathered and photos taken by
Joseph Daniels
Origami Patterns,�
Nature, and ��Natural Designs
Tokaido, Origami, Temples and Shrines Japan Project
This project (TOTS) created a new, visually rich “Virtual Japan Experience” curriculum series developed by a cohort of K-12 and community college educators for dissemination in schools across diverse subject areas, grade levels, and socio-economic populations. The project complements The Ohio State University East Asian Studies Center (EASC)’s successful “Take and Go” lesson plans by preparing and enabling a cohort of teachers to create their own visual sources, a digital archive, and other curricular resources that can be incorporated into the classroom. This cohort of educators serves as a conduit, both to enhance understanding of Japan to their students, and to impact other K-12 and community college teachers through the material they develop and EASC and the National Consortium for Teaching About Asia (NCTA) shares broadly. Visit the resources at Virtual Japan.
2025 NCTA TOTS JAPAN TOUR
Take-and-Go Resource
Resources gathered and photos taken by
Joseph Daniels
WELCOME TO YOUR
ORIGAMI ADVENTURE!
CONTENTS OF THIS JOURNAL
Welcome to this exploration of origami and its relation to nature! The following pages will present the teacher and students with resources and activities to see the relationship between origami (the art of paper-folding) and natural designs that help inspire a wide variety of folding patterns.
The Travel Journal is organized in five parts: Paper & Folding; Trees & Plants; Animals; Human Form; Natural Patterns
Happy Travels!
Joseph
Basics in
Environmental History &
its Connection to Origami
01
Estimated exploration time: 50 minutes
Environmental history & origami
01
02
Consider the following questions, then write your responses on the next page.
QUESTION 1: How does the natural world provide us with shapes, forms, and colors that inspire us to reproduce it in art? Provide any examples that come to mind.
QUESTION 2: How does modern origami reflect both “high tech” expertise and aesthetic simplicity? What new understanding of origami do you have?
1. Environmental history & origami
Anticipated Travel Time: 50 minutes
Please respond here . . .
Please respond here . . .
Environmental history & origami
03
04
Follow this link for Discussion Questions
QUESTION 3: The origami artist, Tomoko Fuse, once said, “I see most of my works rather discovered than created, as if I am led to their emergence.” How would you explain what he means?
QUESTION 4: What are some ways in which origami may be more appealing as an art form than painting, ceramics, or sculpture?
Please respond here . . .
Please respond here . . .
1. Environmental history & origami
Anticipated Travel Time: 50 minutes
Please respond here . . .
Please respond here . . .
Origami: Nature & Natural Designs
02
Estimated exploration time: 30 minutes
Origami: Nature & Natural Designs
01
02
Consider the following questions, then write your responses on the next page.
QUESTION 1: What shapes and forms make plants, trees, and flowers appealing to origami artists? Provide any examples that you found interesting, exceptional, or unique.
QUESTION 2: What shapes and forms make animals or mythical creatures appealing to origami artists? Provide any examples that you found interesting, exceptional, or unique..
2. Origami: Nature & Natural Designs
Anticipated Travel Time: 30 minutes
Please respond here . . .
Please respond here . . .
Origami: Nature & Natural Designs
03
04
Follow this link for Discussion Questions
QUESTION 3: What shapes and forms in the natural world appeal to origami artists? Provide any examples that you found interesting, exceptional, or unique.
QUESTION 4: In your opinion, why did the tradition of origami, such as shide and paper cranes, become a common feature at sacred sites in Shinto and Buddhism?
2. Origami: Nature & Natural Designs
Anticipated Travel Time: 30 minutes
Please respond here . . .
Please respond here . . .
Landscapes: Rural, Urban, & Shrine
03
Estimated exploration time: 25 minutes
Landscapes: Rural, Urban, & Shrine
01
02
Consider the following questions, then write your responses on the next page.
QUESTION 1: What features make the rural landscape prominent and appealing to an origami artist? Provide any examples that you found interesting, exceptional, or unique.
QUESTION 2: What features make the urban landscape prominent and appealing to an origami artist? Provide any examples that you found interesting, exceptional, or unique.
3. Landscapes: Rural, Urban, & Shrine
Anticipated Travel Time: 25 minutes
Please respond here . . .
Please respond here . . .
Landscapes: Rural, Urban, & Shrine
03
04
Follow this link for Discussion Questions
QUESTION 3: What features make the shrine landscape prominent and appealing to an origami artist? Provide any examples that you found interesting, exceptional, or unique.
QUESTION 4: In your opinion, which landscape best exemplifies the interaction between humans and the natural world? Explain your answer..
3. Landscapes: Rural, Urban, & Shrine
Anticipated Travel Time: 25 minutes
Please respond here . . .
Please respond here . . .
Origami of Nature & Natural Design
Estimated exploration time: 45 minutes
04
WONDER: Questions you may have about something you saw . . .
THINK: How I think I could use something from this resource . . .
SEE: What catches my eye . . .
Type your response here . . .
Type your response here . . .
Type your response here . . .
“Tell your story”
Environmental history project
Follow this link
for an Environmental History
“Tell your Story” Project
Resources
for further exploration
Estimated exploration time: 60 minutes
Works Cited
Davis, Ann Marie. “Paper Engineering.” YouTube, uploaded by East Asian Studies Center, The Ohio State University, 19 May 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMpwf-yOeTU.
Fuse, Tomoko. Origami: Harmony between Paper and Folding. Vereck Verlag, 2016.
“Origami, The Japanese Tradition of PAper Folding.” Toki, 4 Apr 2016, https://www.toki.tokyo/blogt/2016/4/4/origami-the-japanese-tradition-of-paper-folding.
“Origami & Paper Engineering.” YouTube, uploaded by East Asian Studies Center, The Ohio State University, 18 May 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZIqeqBjTEc.
Stokes, Angie Miesle. “More than Just Paper revised.” YouTube, uploaded by East Asian Studies Center, The Ohio State University, 21 June 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlYJLZpFx2A.
Woo, Marcus. “Finding Future Tech in an Ancient Art.” PBS, 24 January 2018, https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/origami.
Tokaido, Origami, Temples and Shrines (TOTS) Japan Project
This project (TOTS) created a new, visually rich “Virtual Japan Experience” curriculum series developed by a cohort of K-12 teachers and Community College faculty. Visit the resources at Virtual Japan.
2025 NCTA TOTS JAPAN TOUR
Take-and-Go Resource
Resources gathered and photos taken by
Joseph Daniels
Sponsors: University of Pittsburgh national coordinating site for the National Consortium for Teaching About Asia (NCTA) Asian Studies Center, University Center for International Studies and a U.S. Department of Education Title VI grant to the East Asian Studies Center at The Ohio State University.
This project is coordinated by the East Asian Studies Center at The Ohio State University.
We hope you enjoyed exploring Japan through origami!