This traditional Japanese origami box is made from two single square sheets of paper - no glue or scissors required! It’s great for holding small gifts, trinkets, or treats.
What you’ll need:
- 1 square piece of paper (15 x 15cm is ideal)
- A flat surface to fold on
Let's get started with the box!
1. Start with the coloured or patterned side of the paper facing down.
Fold the paper in half from top to bottom, crease well, then unfold.
Fold in half from left to right, crease again, then unfold.
You should now see a cross crease.
2. Fold all four corners into the centre.
This makes a smaller square.
3. Fold the top edge to the centre, crease, and unfold.
Do the same with the bottom edge and unfold.
Now fold the left and right edges to the centre, crease, and unfold.
4. Unfold the top and bottom triangles only.
You should have a shape that looks like a rectangle with two flaps.
5. Lift the left and right edges up and crease to form the sides of the box.
Then fold the top flap up, tucking the corners in to shape one end of the box.
Repeat with the bottom flap to complete the box.
Now it's time to make the lid!
To make a matching lid, repeat the same steps using a second square of paper.
The only difference is in Step 2:
Instead of folding the corners all the way into the centre, fold them slightly short of the centre point - leave a small gap (around 2–3mm). This makes the finished lid just a bit larger, so it fits neatly over the box.
Happy Crafting!
- Emma x
