BACHELOR OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS (HONS.

)
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTING
UNIVERSITI TENAGA NASIONAL

JAPANESE LANGUANGE II
(JPNB123)

ARTWORK : ORIGAMI

NOR SHAHIRAH BINTI MOHD. AMIN (IB0105278)

NURUL ATIKAH BINTI MOHD. AMIN (IB0105082)
NURSYAHIRA BINTI ZOLKIFLI (IB0103681)

SECTION : 1M

1
History of Origami

The history of origami followed after the invention of paper and was a result of paper's use in
society. Independent paper folding traditions exist in East Asia, and it is unclear whether they
evolved separately or had a common source.What are the origins of the paper folding process we
now know as origami? Composed of the Japanese words oru (to fold) and kami (paper), origami
has a rich and complex history that spans culture, class and geography.

Classical and Traditional Origami

Paper was first invented in China around 105 A.D., and was brought to Japan by monks in the
sixth century. Handmade paper was a luxury item only available to a few, and paper folding in
ancient Japan was strictly for ceremonial purposes, often religious in nature.

By the Edo period (1603–1868), paper folding in Japan had become recreational as well as
ceremonial, often featuring multiple cuts and folds. It came to be regarded as a new form of art
that was enabled by the advent of paper both mass-produced and more affordable. Written
instructions for paper folding first appeared in 1797, with Akisato Rito’s Sembazuru Orikata, or
“thousand crane folding.” In 1845, Adachi Kazuyuki published a more comprehensive
compilation of paper folding with Kayaragusa; by the late 1800s, the term for paper folding had
morphed from orikata (“folded shapes”) to origami.

2
Europe also has a tradition of paper folding that dates back to the twelfth century or before, when
the Moors brought a tradition of mathematically based folding to Spain. The Spanish further
developed paper folding into an artistic practice called papiroflexia or pajarita. By the 1800s,
kindergarten-aged children in Europe and Japan were learning paper folding.

Modern Origami

Traditional origami is characterized by open-access folding patterns and sequences passed down
orally or anonymously from generation to generation. Modern origami often features models
created by designers. Many of these models are considered copyrightable material or intellectual
property. Modern origami often prioritizes a puzzle aspect to the folding, and the challenge of
folding a single square of paper without using cuts or glue.

Akira Yoshizawa, who died in 2005 at age 94, is considered one of the progenitors of modern
origami. In the 1930s, he developed a system of folding patterns employing a set of symbols,
arrows and diagrams. By the 1950s, these patterns were published and widely available,
contributing to origami’s global reach and standardization. Yoshizawa and other origami masters
formed local and international organizations publicizing the art.

Today, origami has expanded to incorporate advanced mathematical theories, as seen in

BETWEEN THE FOLDS. Mathematical origami pioneers like Jun Maekawa and Peter Engel
designed complex and mathematically based crease patterns prior to folding, which emphasized
the puzzle aspect of origami, with the parameters of using one piece of uncut paper. Artistic
origami has also enjoyed a recent resurgence, with abstract paper folders such as Paul Jackson
and Jean-Claude Correia.

3
Sakura History

The cherry blossoms, known in Japan as sakura, are well know around the world for their
radiant, delicate. and transient beauty. However they are more than simply beautiful trees, as the
sakura have powerful ties to Japan’s history, culture and identity. Originally used to divine the
year’s harvest, Sakura came to embody Wabi-sabi philosophy and shinto ideals of
impermanence, hope and renewal and are now one of Japan’s most iconic natural symbols.

Adding to their magic and mystique, the sakura are usually only in full bloom for around one
week. Across the diverse landscape of Japan’s main islands, this magical moment can occur
between March to early May. After the brief period of full bloom, the small, round shaped
flowers start to flutter gracefully from their trees and the blossoms are said to be the most
beautiful in this final stage as the white and pink petals gently float to the ground.

For many Japanese, the blooming of the cherry blossom trees symbolizes human life, transience
and nobleness. The Japanese love to celebrate and cherish the cherry blossoms trees during the
limited flowering period and many people hold ‘flower watching’ parties known as hanami. You
simply cannot travel to Japan in spring without appreciating the beauty of the sakura and
experiencing a hanami party for yourself!

4
Given the cultural significance of the sakura, there are countless events, festivals, and speciality
tours that centred around the blooming of the cherry blossom.

Sakura had experienced a critical condition in the time of the Meiji restoration (1868-1912).
Gardens and Daimyo residences where thousands of cherry blossoms planted were pulling down,
sakura was in extreme danger of extinction.

Takagi Souemon, a gardener specialized in trees, preserved 84 breeds by transplanting them in

his own garden. We owe him a lot that we can cherish cherry blossoms today.

Significance of Sakura

Cherry blossoms are a symbolic flower of the spring, a time of renewal, and the fleeting nature
of life. Their life is very short. After their beauty peaks around two weeks, the blossoms start to
fall.

During this season in Japan, people like to have cherry blossom parties with colleagues, friends,
and family. A cherry blossom makes people merry. They enjoy eating, drinking, and barbecuing
underneath the cherry blossoms. We call this custom hanami. Hanami literally means “watching
blossoms,” and the tradition can be traced back at least a thousand years. We bring cooked
meals, alcohol, snacks, and sweets, like a potluck party. Schools and offices hold welcome
parties during hanami, a chance for people to bond and meet new friends.

Even at night, viewing spots are crowded with people enjoying the blossoms in a beautiful,
romantic atmosphere. Couples go at night to enjoy the special mood created by cherry blossoms.
Hanami at night is called yozakura.

5
Samurai
The samurai (or bushi) were the warriors of premodern Japan. They later made up the ruling
military class that eventually became the highest ranking social caste of the Edo Period (1603-
1867). Samurai employed a range of weapons such as bows and arrows, spears and guns, but
their main weapon and symbol was the sword.

Samurai were supposed to lead their lives according to the ethic code of bushido ("the way of the
warrior"). Strongly Confucian in nature, bushido stressed concepts such as loyalty to one's
master, self discipline and respectful, ethical behavior. Many samurai were also drawn to the
teachings and practices of Zen Buddhism.

History

The samurai trace their origins to the Heian Period campaigns to subdue the native Emishi
people in the Tohoku Region. Around the same time, warriors were increasingly hired by
wealthy landowners that had grown independent of the central government and built armies for
their own protection.

The two most powerful of these landowning clans, the Minamoto and Taira, eventually
challenged the central government and battled each other for supremacy over the entire country.
Minamoto Yoritomo emerged victorious and set up a new military government in 1192, led by

6
the shogun or supreme military commander. The samurai would rule over Japan for most of the
next 700 years.

During the chaotic era of warring states in the 15th and 16th centuries, Japan splintered into
dozens of independent states constantly at war with one another. Consequently, warriors were in
high demand. It was also the era when ninja, warriors specialized in unconventional warfare,
were most active. Many of the famous samurai movies by Kurosawa are set during this time.

The country was eventually reunited in the late 1500s, and a rigid social caste system was
established during the Edo Period that placed the samurai at the top, followed by the farmers,
artisans and merchants respectively. During this time, the samurai were forced to live in castle
towns, were the only ones allowed to own and carry swords and were paid in rice by their
daimyo or feudal lords. Masterless samurai were called ronin and caused minor troubles during
the 1600s.

Relative peace prevailed during the roughly 250 years of the Edo Period. As a result, the
importance of martial skills declined, and many samurai became bureaucrats, teachers or artists.
Japan's feudal era eventually came to an end in 1868, and the samurai class was abolished a few
years afterwards.

Samurai - fashion, costume, and culture

Samurai (SAM-er-eye) were Japanese warriors who were revered for their skills as warriors, but
also for their distinct influence on Japanese fashion. Samurai first appeared in Japan as early as
the eighth century C.E. , but they truly rose to power in the eleventh century as elite warriors in
service to their feudal lords, or daimyos. Other samurai served as guards of the imperial palace.
The samurai were accorded special status after about 1600. They alone had the privilege of
wearing two swords, they married only among their own class, and they passed their privileges
on to their children. The word samurai literally means "to be on one's guard."

The samurai, or warrior class, replaced the court nobles who had once surrounded the ruler.
These nobles had always worn ceremonial clothing and lived a very formal existence within
large castles. The rulers understood that the samurai were strong and wise and capable of

7
forming their own armies and taking control of the country. To keep the power of the samurai in
check, the rulers encouraged the samurai to live by elaborate rules about dress and behavior.
Samurai lived by a code of honor known as Bushido, the way of the sword. Loyalty, truthfulness,
sincerity, and readiness to die for honor were its main attributes. The samurai also became very
dedicated to ceremony and to acquiring and displaying meaningful colors, fabrics, and styles.

Samurai were dressed for speed and travel. Their basic uniform had wide hakama trousers, open
halfway down the leg and ending above the ankle. The under-kimono of the samurai could be
slipped off for a sword battle, while remaining secured at the waist by the hakama's hard
waistband and ties. The overvest had impressive winged shoulders and was sleeveless, so that the
samurai looked both grand and dangerous and was able to swing his arms around with his two
swords.

Historically, samurai and geishas have been the two greatest influences on Japanese fashion and
taste. Both had the status, visibility, and intelligence to cultivate distinctive colors, fabrics, and
styles, changing them regularly to keep the public enthralled, much like today's rock stars or
actors and actresses.

Among the fashions that were developed by samurai in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the
hakama, or trouser, and kataginu, a ceremonial ensemble with winged shoulders, are the most
distinctive. In recent times, samurai fashions have been well represented in Japanese theater,
such as No plays and Kabuki, and in film, particularly the historical films of director Akira
Kurosawa (1910–1998). (A No, or Noh, play is a classic Japanese dance-drama having a heroic
theme, a chorus, and highly stylized action, costuming, and scenery.) The samurai film, in fact,
has had a wide influence throughout the world. Akira Kurosawa's legendary movie, The Seven
Samurai (1954), was the inspiration for the light saber battles in the film Star Wars (1977) and
its sequels. Samurai suits of armor, made of ceramic plates sewn together, were the inspiration
for the military flak jacket developed by the United States Army during World War II (1939–45).
Samurai wore distinctive top-knot hairstyles and wore bold crests on their robes.

The samurai disappeared as a distinct class in the nineteenth century. In modern Japan some
towns celebrate the history of the samurai by holding annual pageants or parades where
participants dress in reproductions of historical samurai styles. The traditional practices of
archery, swordsmanship, and martial arts all have their basis in samurai culture. Today, many

8
practitioners of these disciplines are greatly respectful and knowledgeable about their samurai
forefathers.

The Origin of Pagodas

Have you ever been to a Japanese garden and wondered about the tall structure with many roofs?
What is the significance of so many roofs? And more importantly, what is the building's
function?

This monument of many roofs is called a pagoda. It's history can be traced back to the Indian
stupa, a dome-shaped structure that served to enshrine the remains of rulers and other leaders.
Though, following the death of the Buddha in the 5th century BCE, they became symbolic of the
spread of Buddhism throughout Asia.

At first, the Buddha's ashes and bone fragments were divided and placed inside the stupas, but as
Buddhism continued to spread, other items began to be used such as holy texts, precious items
and the ashes of other holy beings.

In China, the pagoda emerged taller and in a tiered configuration due to the influence of the
existing architectural style at the time in contrast to its predecessor. In addition, the increased
height was seen as more powerful and held significant meaning.
9
Pagodas in Japan

While Japanese pagodas were modeled after the Chinese ones, several differences emerged over
time. In Japan, pagodas are almost all constructed out of wood. Due to this, they are able to
withstand earthquakes, but are extremely susceptible to fire.

There are stone pagadas in Japan, but they are small replicas of these famous buildings and can
be usually be seen in Japanese gardens.

They also showcase much larger roof overhangs in comparison to their Chinese counterparts.
Interestingly, the wood pieces are cut so that each one fits perfectly into slots in an adjoining
piece. This way few nails are needed in construction, and it becomes well-suited to earthquake-
prone areas.

The Architecture of the Pagoda

The base of a pagoda is square and each level contains twelve pillars that support the level
above. Each successive floor is smaller than the one below it and supported by a horizontal
plane. This plane is held up by beams that extend past the roof-line. These beams carry the
weight of the heavy roof overhangs and are counterbalanced by the vertical columns.

At the very top, the spire or 'sorin', reminiscent of the stupa, serves to provide the weight to
prevent the beams supporting the uppermost roof from popping up in the center. Adding to the
pagoda's strength is the central pillar that connects the various components together, while
allowing each floor to move independently of each other.

10
Meaning and Function

The pagoda's symbolic meaning, function and role within the context of a temple has changed
over time. Many pagodas in Japan have five roofs or levels each symbolizing one of the great
elements of earth (lowest level), water, fire, wind and space (or void, top level).

For the Japanese, the pagoda is not the focus of the temple complex as in China, but seen as a
separate accessory structure. Instead of being used as a meditation hall with a Buddha statue,
pagodas serve as ceremonial space for holy artifacts and precious items, since they generally
have very little interior space.

Facts and Known Pagodas of Today

The height of pagodas range from 52 feet up to as tall as 180 feet. In the past, however, pagodas
reached heights of 270 to 355 feet, unfortunately these have been since destroyed by fire.

11
(Image of Artwork)

12
References

1.https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/between-the-folds/history.html
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_origami
3. https://www.jnto.org.au/experience/cherry-blossoms/sakura-history/
4. https://www.tsunagujapan.com/the-beauty-and-history-of-sakura-japans-national-flower/
5. https://festival.si.edu/blog/2014/significance-of-sakura-cherry-blossom-traditions-in-japan/
6. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2127.html
7. http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/fashion_costume_culture/Early-Cultures-
Asia/Samurai.html
8. https://study.com/academy/lesson/japanese-pagodas-architecture-history-facts.html

13