How to make an origami KintaroきんたろうKintaro
Kintaro, the strong boy from a Japanese folk tale. Draw the character 金 (gold) on his red apron. A great decoration for Children’s Day.
- 5 steps
- about 6 min
- 1 sheet of origami paper (red on one side and skin-colored on the other; white on the back also works)
- Age 5+
5
How to fold
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はだ色の面を上にして、下のかどを、上のかどの少し下まで折り上げる（赤い はらがけ）
Start with the skin-colored side up. Fold the bottom corner up to a little below the top corner. This is the red apron.
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はらがけの先を、うしろへ折りこむ
Tuck the tip of the apron behind itself.
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左右のかどを、うしろへ折る（うで）
Fold the left and right corners behind. These are the arms.
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頭の上のかどを、うしろへ折る
Fold the top of the head behind.
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下の左右のかどを、うしろへ折る
Fold the bottom left and right corners behind.
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できあがり！おかっぱの かみと 顔、はらがけの「金」を かいたら、きんたろうのできあがり！
Finished! Draw his bob haircut, his face and 金 on the apron. Your Kintaro is finished!
Fun fact
きんたろうは、山で くまと すもうを とったという 力もちの 男の子。こどもの日には、元気に 育つように きんたろうの 人形を かざります。
Kintaro was a very strong boy who wrestled with a bear in the mountains. On Children’s Day, families display Kintaro dolls, wishing their children will grow up strong.
Origami English in this model
- tuck差しこむ（はさみこむ）
- corner角
- colored side色の面（表）
- strong力が強い
- bearくま
- apronはらがけ（エプロン）
- folk taleむかし話
❓ FAQ
- What age is this origami Kintaro for?
- About Age 5+. It is rated “Easy” (level 2 of 5), with 5 steps, and takes about 6 minutes.
- What paper do I need?
- 1 sheet of origami paper (red on one side and skin-colored on the other; white on the back also works) No scissors or glue are needed.
- What is it called in Japanese?
- In Japanese it is “きんたろう” (金太郎). 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.
