Ochanomizu Origami Kaikan

お茶の水おりがみ会館

Origami Kaikan, おりがみ会館, is a facility located in Tokyo with a long history where you can enjoy origami paper crafts.

The history of Origami Kaikan begins in 1858 (5^th year of Ansei era) with Kousuke who was a mounting craftsman who mounted the sliding doors. Later, he learned the processing techniques of Japanese paper (washi) and built a three-story factory to create a dyeing paper business (somegamiya). In the Meiji period, Western culture rushed to Japan, as well as to the Japanese school education system, along with the educational reforms of the Meiji era. Tatoushi, folded paper, was introduced to the Japanese early childhood education. This led to a request to their company to start manufacturing and selling origami for the first time in the world. After the World WarⅡ, 24-colored origami that conforms to standard colors selected by the Ministry of Education was released and sold by the factory, at the same time as “origami” got more and more known around the world. In 1948, the founding company “Kobayashi Dyeing Paper Company” was established. In 1972, the facility "Ochanomizu Origami Kaikan" was opened to spread origami as a Japanese traditional craft. In 1986, it was designated as a cultural heritage of Bunkyo Ward as a long-established paper and chiyogami manufacturing company that was recognized for its ancient Japanese traditional technique of dyeing washi paper. In 2006, the NPO "International Origami Association" was established. It promotes the acquisition and understanding of origami and expands opportunities to contribute to society through the traditional craft of origami.

Today, Ochanomizu Origami Kaikan is the facility where you can see and learn about Japanese paper (washi), origami, dyed paper(somegami), and patterned Japanese paper (chiyogami). Inside the facility you can find:

• Display of seasonal origami paper crafts
• A gallery space where you can enjoy special exhibitions for free
• A shop where you can buy original origami paper, chiyogami products, books, and more from cute souvenirs to authentic crafts.
• Paper-dying studio where craftsmen work, observation only (opening date is irregular)
• Classes with various lectures are offered by experienced instructors for the beginners to the advanced. (reservation only)

In addition to offering classes, lectures, various events, Ochanomizu Origami Kaikan also does planning and producing for such as exhibitions related to papers as well as decorations, publishing books, etc.

washi : 和紙 ／ somegamiya : 染め紙屋 ／ origami : 折り紙 ／ somegami : 染紙 ／ chiyogami : 千代紙