日本語

How to make an origami Dancing Crane舞鶴Dancing Crane

A crane dancing with its wings spread wide and its neck in an S-curve. This challenge version starts from the bird base and shapes the neck, tail and wings in 3D.

★★Easy Crane (Easy)★★★Crane (Medium)★★★Flapping Bird (Medium)★★★Standing Crane (Medium)★★★Flying Crane (Medium)★★★Jumbo Newspaper Crane (Medium)★★★Crane Chopstick Rest (Medium)★★★Crane and Turtle (Medium)★★★★Crane with Spread Wings (Challenge)★★★★Nesting Crane with Chick (Challenge)★★★★★Linked Cranes "Imoseyama" (Master)★★★★★Ring of Four Linked Cranes (Master)★★★★★Crane Family (Five Linked Cranes) (Master)

How to fold

  1. 色の面を上にして、三角に折る

    Start with the colored side up and fold in half to make a triangle.

  2. さらに半分の三角に折る

    Fold in half again.

  3. 袋を開いて、四角につぶす

    Open the pocket and squash it into a square.

  4. うらがえす

    Turn it over.

  5. こちらも四角につぶす(正方基本形)

    Squash this side into a square, too. This is the square base.

  6. 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.

  7. 上の三角を折って、折りすじをつける

    Fold the top down and unfold.

  8. 1まいめを下から持ち上げて、ふちを内側へ(花弁折り)

    Lift the bottom corner of the top layer and fold the sides in (petal fold).

  9. うらがえす

    Turn it over.

  10. 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 on this side, too.

  11. こちらも花弁折り(鶴の基本形)

    Petal fold this side, too. This is the bird base.

  12. 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.

  13. うらがえす

    Turn it over.

  14. こちらも同じように折る

    Do the same on this side.

  15. 左の足を中わり折りして、真横へ出す(首)

    Inside reverse fold the left point straight out to the side. This is the neck.

    羽と足のさかい目(いちばん広い所)で折ります。

  16. 右の足も中わり折りして、真横へ出す(しっぽ)

    Inside reverse fold the right point straight out, too. This is the tail.

  17. 首の先を中わり折りして、頭をつくる

    Inside reverse fold the tip of the neck to make the head.

  18. しっぽの先も中わり折りして、ふさふさの羽をつくる

    Inside reverse fold the tip of the tail, too, to make the tail feathers.

    タンチョウの「しっぽ」に見える黒い羽は、本当はつばさの羽です。ここではしっぽの先を下へたらして表します。

  19. 手前の羽を、下へたおす(上から見た形)

    Fold the front wing down. Now you see the crane from above.

  20. 上の羽のまん中に、折りすじをつける

    Crease the upper wing across the middle.

  21. 下の羽のまん中にも、折りすじをつける

    Crease the lower wing across the middle, too.

  22. 首のまん中に、折りすじをつける

    Crease the neck across the middle.

  23. うしろの羽を高く上げて、折りすじで先をそらせる。手前の羽は横に広げる。首はたてに起こして、折りすじで前へ曲げ、S字にする

    Raise the back wing high and bend its tip back at the crease. Spread the front wing out to the side. Stand the neck up and bend it forward at the crease to make an S-curve.

    首としっぽは、羽と直角になるように、たてにして起こします。

  24. できあがり!羽を大きく広げ、首をS字に起こしたら、舞鶴のできあがり! しっぽの先は下へたらします。立てるときは、おなかを少しふくらませると安定します。

    Finished! Spread the wings wide and curve the neck into an S. Your dancing crane is finished! Let the tail tip hang down. Puff out the belly a little so it stands steadily.

Fun fact

タンチョウは、冬から春にかけて、つがいで向き合い、羽を広げて飛びはねる「求愛ダンス」をします。北海道の釧路湿原などで見られます。

Red-crowned cranes perform a courtship dance from winter to spring. Pairs face each other, spread their wings and leap. You can see them in places like Kushiro Marsh in Hokkaido.

Origami English in this model

❓ FAQ

What age is this origami Dancing Crane for?
About Age 10+. It is rated “Challenge” (level 4 of 5), with 23 steps, and takes about 35 minutes.
What paper do I need?
1 sheet of origami paper (15 cm / 6 in or larger; thin paper is easier to shape in 3D) No scissors or glue are needed.
What is it called in Japanese?
In Japanese it is “舞鶴” (舞鶴). 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.

Print & download

Practice sheet with crease linesJust fold on the lines

Other versions — easier or harder

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