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Paper Play

Everyday & decor

Paper sumo wrestlers

Fold two traditional paper sumo wrestlers and stand them face to face. Tap the box they stand on and they push each other!

  • DifficultyIntermediate
  • PaperSquare, 15 × 15 cm × 2
  • Steps12
  • About15 min

Why this level: Each fold is simple, but you pull hidden corners out from behind, pleat the head, and open the figure so it stands.

You need: 2 sheets of origami paper (one per wrestler; two colours look best), An empty box to use as the ring (optional)

Preview Preview: checked on screen; real-paper verification is in progress.

Start folding

Story

Paper sumo (kamizumo) is a Japanese table game said to have begun in the Edo period, when sumo became a popular sport: paper wrestlers stand on a box, and the players tap the box to make them push each other. This folded wrestler is a traditional design whose first folder is unknown. The oldest known picture of it is a print said to come from the Meiji era (before 1912), and it appears again in a print in a Japanese book from 1935.

Did you know? Early paper sumo was played by blowing on the wrestlers. Tapping the box is the usual way today.

Learn more (external sources)

Steps at a glance

  1. 1. Crease in half both ways

    Both sheets white side up. Fold each in half across and in half up and down, unfolding each time.

  2. 2. Fold the four corners to the centre

    On both sheets, fold all four corners in to the centre point.

  3. 3. Turn over

    Turn both over.

  4. 4. Fold the sides to the centre (kite)

    Fold the left and right corners in on lines from the top corner, so the two upper edges meet the centre line.

  5. 5. Pull out the hidden corners

    From behind, pull the two upper hidden corners out to the sides and flatten them. The top becomes a big diamond.

  6. 6. Fold the bottom point behind

    Fold the bottom point behind, on the line where the side corners meet the centre.

  7. 7. Fold the top down

    Fold the top half of the diamond down in front, on the line between its side corners. A white triangle appears.

  8. 8. Fold the point back up (head)

    About a third of the way down the white triangle, fold its point back up. The point sticking out at the top becomes the head.

  9. 9. Turn over

    Turn both over.

  10. 10. Fold the belt point down

    The tip of the coloured triangle at the bottom pokes up a little above the belt. Fold that tip down along the top edge of the belt.

  11. 11. Fold in half behind

    Fold the right half behind along the vertical centre line.

  12. 12. Stand them up face to face

    With the fold at the back, open the two halves a little and stand each wrestler up. Set them face to face so their arms (the white points) touch. Done!

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