How to make an origami Rice EarいなほRice Ear
A ripe ear of rice, hanging its heavy head in autumn. The last inside reverse fold makes the ear bend down.
- 6 steps
- about 6 min
- 1 sheet of origami paper
- Age 5+
6
How to fold
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白い面を上にして、たて半分に折って折りすじをつける
Start with the white side up. Fold in half from side to side and unfold.
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下の2つのふちを、まん中の線に合わせて折る
Fold the two lower edges to the center line.
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上の2つのふちも、まん中の線に合わせて折る
Fold the two upper edges to the center line, too.
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下のふちを、もう一度まん中に合わせて、ほそく折る（くき）
Fold the lower edges to the center again to make the stem thin.
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まん中の線で、うしろへ半分に折る
Fold in half along the center line, folding the left half behind.
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上の先を、中わり折りで下へむける（穂）
Inside reverse fold the top point down to make the ear hang.
紙の間を少し開いて、先を内がわへおしこむように折ります。
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できあがり！お米のつぶと葉っぱをかいたら、いなほのできあがり！ 何本か折って、たばにしてかざろう。
Finished! Draw the rice grains and a leaf, and your rice ear is finished! Fold a few and tie them in a bunch.
紙の間を少し開いて、先を内がわへおしこむように折ります。Fun fact
「実るほど頭をたれる稲穂かな」ということわざがあります。お米がたくさん実るほど、穂は重くなって下をむきます。
A Japanese saying goes, "The more rice it bears, the lower the ear bows." A full ear of rice is heavy, so it hangs down.
Origami English in this model
- unfold開く（元に戻す）
- fold in half半分に折る
- inside reverse fold中わり折り
- edge辺（ふち）
- center line中心線
- white side白い面（裏）
- riceお米・いね
- grainつぶ
- harvestしゅうかく
- ripe実った・じゅくした
❓ FAQ
- What age is this origami Rice Ear for?
- About Age 5+. It is rated “Easy” (level 2 of 5), with 6 steps, and takes about 6 minutes.
- What paper do I need?
- One sheet of square origami paper (15 cm / 6 in). No scissors or glue are needed.
- What is it called in Japanese?
- In Japanese it is “いなほ” (稲穂). The word origami (折り紙) itself means “folding paper”: ori = fold, kami = paper.
- Can I print the instructions?
- Yes. “Print the diagram” puts every step on one page (or a PDF), and the practice sheet has the crease lines printed on the paper. Free for home and classroom use.
