How to make an origami SwallowつばめSwallow
A swallow in the sky, with pointed wings and a forked tail. It starts from the bird base.
- 19 steps
- about 18 min
- 1 sheet of origami paper
- Age 7+
19
How to fold
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三角に折る
Fold in half to make a triangle.
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さらに半分の三角に折る
Fold in half again.
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うらがえす
Turn it over.
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こちらも袋を開いて、四角につぶす（正方基本形）
Squash this side into a square, too. This is the preliminary base.
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下のふちを、まん中の線に合わせて折りすじをつける
Fold the lower edges to the center line and unfold.
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上の三角を折って、折りすじをつける
Fold the top down and unfold.
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1まいめを下から持ち上げて、ふちを折りすじで内側へ（花弁折り）
Lift the bottom corner of the top layer and fold the sides in along the creases (petal fold).
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うらがえす
Turn it over.
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こちらも、下のふちをまん中に合わせて折りすじをつける
Fold the lower edges to the center line and unfold.
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こちらも花弁折り（鶴の基本形）
Petal fold this side, too. This is the bird base.
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下のふちを、まん中の線に合わせて折る
Fold the lower edges to the center line.
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うらがえす
Turn it over.
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こちらも同じように折る
Do the same on this side.
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手前の先を、まん中の線で左へ半分に折る
Fold the front point in half to the left along the center line.
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うしろの先は、うしろ側で右へ半分に折る（ふたまたのしっぽ）
Fold the back point in half behind, to the right. This makes the forked tail.
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左の足を、中わり折りでななめ上へ（つばさになる）
Inside reverse fold the left point up and out to make a wing.
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右の足も、中わり折りでななめ上へ
Inside reverse fold the right point up and out, too.
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上下をさかさまにする
Turn it upside down.
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できあがり！つばさを少しななめにひらいたら、つばめのできあがり！ 春の空を飛ばせてみよう。
Finished! Open the wings at a slight angle, and your swallow is finished! Let it fly in the spring sky.
Fun fact
つばめは春に南の国から日本へやってきて、家ののき下などに巣を作ります。
Swallows come to Japan from the south in spring. They often build nests under the roofs of houses.
Origami English in this model
❓ FAQ
- What age is this origami Swallow for?
- About Age 7+. It is rated “Medium” (level 3 of 5), with 19 steps, and takes about 18 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 “つばめ”. 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.
