The traditional crane, step by step

October 2026 · 15 cm kami

1. Start coloured side down. Fold both diagonals and unfold, then turn over and fold both edge-to-edge creases.
2. Collapse into a square base (preliminary base) using the existing creases.
3. Fold the lower edges of the top layer to the centre line, fold the top triangle down, then unfold all three.
4. Petal fold: lift the bottom corner of the top layer up along the horizontal crease, letting the sides fold in. Repeat on the back — this is the bird base.
5. Narrow the legs by folding the lower edges to the centre on both sides.
6. Inside-reverse fold both legs up to form the neck and tail, then reverse fold the tip of the neck for the head.
7. Fold the wings down and gently pull them apart to shape the body.

Where it usually goes wrong

The petal fold tears if the step 3 creases are soft — press them hard with a fingernail. The neck looks thick if step 5 is skipped on one side; check both layers are narrowed before the reverse folds.