What age is this origami Japanese Castle with Golden Shachihoko for?

About Adults. It is rated “Master” (level 5 of 5), with 22 steps, and takes about 70 minutes.

What paper do I need?

7 sheets (15 cm gray for the stone base, 12 cm white for the walls, 13.5, 11 and 9 cm dark gray for the roofs, and two 2.5 cm gold sheets for the shachihoko) No scissors or glue are needed.

What is it called in Japanese?

In Japanese it is “おしろ（金のしゃちほこ）”. 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.

★★★★★Master Japanese TraditionOriginal

How to make an origami Japanese Castle with Golden Shachihokoおしろ（金のしゃちほこ）Japanese Castle with Golden Shachihoko

A 3D Japanese castle keep built from seven sheets: a stone base, white walls, three roofs and a pair of golden shachihoko. This is a master-level model.

22 steps
about 70 min
7 sheets (15 cm gray for the stone base, 12 cm white for the walls, 13.5, 11 and 9 cm dark gray for the roofs, and two 2.5 cm gold sheets for the shachihoko)
Adults

How to fold

石垣（灰色の紙）：白い面を上にして、上のふちを下のふちに合わせて半分に折る
Stone base (gray sheet): start with the white side up. Fold in half from top to bottom.
もう一度、上半分をうしろへ折る（細長い帯）
Fold the top half behind again to make a long band.
まん中より少し上で、だんおりをする（石のつみ目）
Make a pleat a little above the middle. This is a line of stones.
ほんの少し（2〜3mm）のはばで、だんおりします。
下のほうでも、もう一度だんおり
Make another pleat near the bottom.
左右のはしを、上がせまくなるようにななめにうしろへ折る
Fold the left and right ends behind at a slant so the top is narrower.
かべ（白い紙）：たて半分に折りすじをつける
Walls (white sheet): fold in half from side to side and unfold.
左右のふちを、まん中の線に合わせて折る
Fold the left and right edges to the center line.
左右をななめにうしろへ折って、上を少し細くする
Fold the sides behind at a slant so the top is a little narrower.
やね（こい灰色の紙 3まい）：白い面を上にして、ななめ半分に折って開く。もう1本のななめも
Roofs (3 dark gray sheets): start with the white side up. Fold in half diagonally and unfold. Do the same with the other diagonal.
大・中・小の3まいとも、同じように折ります。
よこ半分に折って開く
Fold in half from top to bottom and unfold.
折りすじにそって、三角にたたむ（みずふうせんの基本形）
Collapse along the creases into a triangle. This is the waterbomb base.
上の角を、うしろへ折る（台形のやね）
Fold the top point behind to make a wide roof shape.
しゃちほこ（金の小さい紙 2まい）：上の2つのふちを、まん中の線に合わせて折る
Shachihoko (2 small gold sheets): fold the two upper edges to the center line.
下の角を、うしろへ折る
Fold the bottom corner behind.
まん中の線で、半分にうしろへ折る
Fold in half behind along the center line.
上の先を、中わり折りで外へ曲げる（はね上がったしっぽ）
Inside reverse fold the top tip outward. This is the tail flipping up.
しゃちほこは、頭を下・しっぽを上にした、さかだちの魚の形です。
かべを、石垣の上に立てる
Stand the walls on top of the stone base.
かべの下のはしを、石垣のうしろにのりではります。
いちばん大きいやねを、かべの下のほうにはる（1階のやね）
Glue the biggest roof onto the lower part of the walls. This is the first-floor roof.
中くらいのやねを、その上にはる
Glue the middle roof above it.
いちばん小さいやねを、かべのてっぺんにはる
Glue the smallest roof at the top of the walls.
しゃちほこを、いちばん上のやねの両はしにのせる（向かい合わせに）
Put the two shachihoko on both ends of the top roof, facing each other.
やねを手前に起こして、立体にする
Tilt each roof toward you to make the castle 3D.
できあがり！てっぺんで2ひきのしゃちほこが光ったら、おしろのできあがり！ならべて、自分だけの城下町を作ってみよう。
Finished! When the two golden shachihoko shine on the top, your castle is finished! Make more and build your own castle town.

Fun fact

しゃちほこは、頭はトラ、体は魚という想像上の生きもので、火事から建物を守るおまもりとしてやねにかざられました。名古屋城の金のしゃちほこはとくに有名です。

A shachihoko is an imaginary creature with the head of a tiger and the body of a fish. It was placed on roofs as a charm to protect buildings from fire. The golden shachihoko of Nagoya Castle are especially famous.

Origami English in this model

❓ FAQ

What age is this origami Japanese Castle with Golden Shachihoko for?: About Adults. It is rated “Master” (level 5 of 5), with 22 steps, and takes about 70 minutes.
What paper do I need?: 7 sheets (15 cm gray for the stone base, 12 cm white for the walls, 13.5, 11 and 9 cm dark gray for the roofs, and two 2.5 cm gold sheets for the shachihoko) No scissors or glue are needed.
What is it called in Japanese?: In Japanese it is “おしろ（金のしゃちほこ）”. 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.