Recommended for seniors! Origami gifts

Koinobori and wisteria flowers

May decorations: carp streamers and wisteria 🎏

Wisteria flowers reach their best viewing time from the end of April.

You may have opportunities to go see them with older adults.

Some seniors might look forward to the purple wisteria trellises every year.

Here, we introduce wisteria—the flower that represents May—and carp streamers (koinobori) decorations.

We’ll make wisteria and koinobori out of origami.

There are some steps with fine folds, so seniors who enjoy origami are likely to have fun with this craft.

Once the wisteria and koinobori are finished, attach them to a paper plate.

If you paste a sheet with a sky pattern in the center of the plate, it will look like the koinobori are swimming in the sky.

Cutting out the center of the paper plate to make it into a wreath shape is also lovely.

Koinobori decoration

[Children’s Day] Let’s make a carp streamer decoration. 🎏

Here’s an idea for a carp streamer decoration in the style of a hanging scroll.

You can use origami carp and finish it in a way that suits the celebration of Children’s Day.

Fold the carp out of origami paper—Japanese patterns or other designs are recommended.

Attach crepe paper and washi to create a hanging scroll backing, then stick the origami carp onto it.

Making and attaching a windsock (fukinagashi) alongside the carp will look lovely as well.

Displayed on the wall like a hanging scroll, it can help evoke the feeling of May even for older adults.

Alternatively, insert a stick into a paper cup weighted with clay and attach the hanging scroll to the stick.

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Nakajima Junko

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Gift Frame

Make it with origami! Easy Carp Streamer–Shaped Gift Frame Tutorial (for Children’s Day).

Here’s an introduction to a carp-streamer gift frame that can hold photos or sweets.

Fold two sheets of origami using the same steps, layer them, and you’ll create a single frame.

The folding process doesn’t have many complicated parts, so it may be easy for older adults to try.

It also looks lovely if you place patterned origami inside the frame.

Shape the frame itself like a carp streamer and pop in a photo or some treats.

When adding sweets, we recommend using a clear bag.

On Children’s Day, some grandparents may have their grandchildren visit at home.

Putting sweets in the gift frame and giving it to your grandchild is sure to delight them.

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Nakajima Junko

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Pochi-bukuro (small decorative envelope for gifting money)

[DIY Work Video] [100-yen Shop Budget-Friendly] Easy! How to Make a Koinobori Gift Envelope – Golden Week & Children’s Day – Left-Handed Tutorial

Let’s try making a small money envelope (pochibukuro) shaped like a carp streamer (koinobori).

In many older adults’ households, people still raise koinobori or display samurai helmets (kabuto) for the Boys’ Festival in May, don’t they? Since the Boys’ Festival and Children’s Day fall during Golden Week, it’s also a time when grandchildren or relatives’ children might gather.

In such situations, it would be nice to give them a gift tucked into a handmade koinobori pochibukuro.

The steps to make the envelopes aren’t complicated, so they should be easy for older adults to create as well.

Plus, handmade pochibukuro can be threaded onto a string to make a garland, so they can also be used as indoor decorations.

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Nakajima Junko

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Koinobori made with Japanese-style origami

[Easy] 3D ✨ Carp Streamer Craft 🎏 [100-yen Origami] How to Make Carp-shaped Streamers

Here is a three-dimensional koi nobori (carp streamer) made from Japanese-style origami paper that you can easily find at 100-yen shops.

You first make the koi nobori’s body flat, then add slits and fold along them to turn it into a three-dimensional shape, which is the fun part.

For the koi nobori’s pole, roll copy paper around a toothpick or skewer.

Apply glue to the slit section of the body and attach the pole there.

The colorful washi patterns are very cute and will brighten the atmosphere when placed in an entryway or living room.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Koinobori chopstick sleeve

[Origami] Chopstick Holder Koinobori (Carp Streamer) with Voice Commentary [Senior Recreation] Origami [Stay-at-Home Time]

To help seniors feel the seasons, some senior and nursing care facilities offer special seasonal meals, don’t they? In those moments, we’d like to introduce a carp streamer–themed chopstick sleeve that’s lovely to set quietly on the table.

Let’s fold a chopstick sleeve using origami.

If you use gold or red origami paper for the sleeve, you’ll end up with a festive design perfect for celebratory occasions.

Attach a carp streamer made from origami to the sleeve as well.

As you fold, some seniors may recall past Boys’ Day (Tango no Sekku) celebrations.

Besides carp streamers, you can also attach other seasonal decorations to the sleeve so it can be used throughout the year.

Please try arranging and customizing your own version.

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Nakajima Junko

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Carp streamer wall decoration

[Elderly Recreation] May Carp Streamer Wall Decoration [Easy Craft] Carp streamer

Why not try making a seasonal carp streamer (koinobori) wall decoration? Using paper cups adds a nice bit of three-dimensionality.

First, cut a paper cup into four equal sections to make the koinobori body.

Wrap origami paper around the cup pieces to create the scales and glue it in place.

Add eye stickers to finish the fish.

Fold a samurai helmet (kabuto), a pinwheel, and irises (shobu) as well.

Assemble everything and glue it onto a backing sheet.

If you make a set of decorations for the whole year and swap them out, it brings a pleasant change to everyday life.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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