How to make an origami Yakko-sanやっこさんYakko-san
A servant from old Japan with his arms spread wide. Fold the four corners to the center three times, then open and squash three pockets.
- 10 steps
- about 10 min
- 1 sheet of origami paper
- Age 7+
10
How to fold
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半分に折って、折りすじをつける（たて・よこ）
Fold in half both ways and unfold.
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四つの角を、まん中に合わせて折る（ざぶとん折り）
Fold all four corners to the center. This is called the blintz fold.
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うらがえす
Turn it over.
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もう一度、四つの角をまん中に合わせて折る
Fold the four corners to the center again.
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うらがえす
Turn it over.
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もう一度、四つの角をまん中に合わせて折る（3回め）
Fold the four corners to the center one more time (the third time).
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うらがえす。小さな四角が4つ見える
Turn it over. You can see four small squares.
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右の四角も、同じように長方形につぶす
Do the same with the right square.
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できあがり！顔をかいたら、やっこさんのできあがり！ 「はかま」も折って、下にはかせてあげよう。
Finished! Draw a face, and your Yakko-san is finished! Fold a pair of hakama pants for him, too.
まん中のすきまから指を入れて、外の角へむけて広げると、きれいな長方形になります。Fun fact
「やっこ」は、江戸時代に武士に仕えて、荷物を持ったり行列の先頭を歩いたりした人のことです。わらべうた「やっこさんだよ」でも知られています。
A "yakko" was a man who served a samurai in the Edo period. He carried things and walked at the front of parades.
Origami English in this model
- unfold開く（元に戻す）
- open開く
- fold in half半分に折る
- corner角
- pocketふくろ（ポケット）
- square正方形
- rectangle長方形
- servant家来（けらい）
- sleeveそで
❓ FAQ
- What age is this origami Yakko-san for?
- About Age 7+. It is rated “Medium” (level 3 of 5), with 10 steps, and takes about 10 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 “やっこさん”. 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.
