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[For Seniors] Recommended September Origami to Feel the Autumn Season
Here are some recommended origami ideas for September recreation.
Let’s try making origami that reflects September, such as traditional Japanese events like Respect for the Aged Day and the Harvest Moon (Jugoya), as well as autumn-themed plants like cosmos flowers and acorns.
Origami can be done while seated, which makes it easier for many older adults to participate.
If it’s an origami activity that allows for conversation while crafting, it may also help older adults expand their social interactions.
Use this article as a reference to create wonderful pieces together with older adults.
[For Seniors] Recommended Autumn-Themed Origami for September (1–10)
rabbit
When it comes to major autumn events, moon viewing (Otsukimi) comes to mind, and the must-have motif for moon viewing is the rabbit.
Let’s make a rabbit that strongly evokes autumn moon viewing using origami.
You’ll use two sheets of paper—one for the head and one for the body—making the parts separately and combining them at the end.
For the head piece, crease it into a triangle and cut it; then create a V shape for the ears and use fold-backs, after which you’ll draw the facial features and assemble the parts.
Finally, combine the head piece with the body piece, whose edges are folded back to form hands, and you’re done.
Pay attention to color choices and facial expressions, and aim to create a cute rabbit.
Cute raccoon dog
The moon and tanuki are often paired in our minds, as in the children’s song “Shōjōji no Tanukibayashi.” With that image in mind, let’s make a tanuki out of origami to brighten up your moon-viewing.
We’ll create the face, body, and tail parts from origami paper and assemble them, folding with a focus on gentle roundness.
Layer dark brown and white papers for each part, and add patterns and facial features to make it even cuter.
A tanuki alone is charming, but combining it with motifs like the moon-viewing scene or pampas grass will bring out an even stronger sense of autumn—highly recommended.
dragonfly
When you start seeing dragonflies, you really feel that autumn has arrived, don’t you? This piece is about making one of autumn’s iconic creatures—the dragonfly—out of origami.
You’ll combine two sheets of origami paper; creating a contrast between the wing color and the body color makes it look more vivid.
Use quarter-fold creases as guides for both parts, folding them into long, narrow shapes, and make use of reverse folds while keeping in mind how they’ll be joined later.
After combining the parts, fold over the joint to secure it firmly, attach the facial features, and you’re done.
Choosing the colors and the expression is a great way to add your own originality.
Chinese bellflower
The bellflower, also beloved as one of the seven flowers of autumn, blooms from July to September and strongly evokes the arrival of fall.
Let’s create these beautifully blue and purple bellflowers by combining pieces of origami.
We’ll use three types of paper: one for the flower body, one for the center, and one for the leaves, each in its own color, and then assemble them.
For the flower parts, the way you make the creases and how you layer them are key.
Using the radial creases extending from the center as a guide, you’ll layer the sections at regular intervals to shape the flower.
Once the flower parts are complete, attach the square-folded center piece in the middle and the long, narrow, triangle-folded leaf piece on the back to finish the whole piece.
Focus on making precise creases and carefully folding along them—paying attention to delicate finger movements as you work.
origami red spider lily
Let’s make origami red spider lilies, which bloom around the autumn equinox in September.
Combine several sheets of origami paper with long, thin slits cut into them, and curl each strip using a pencil or another thin stick.
For the center of the flower, it’s best to use tissue paper crumpled into a small ball.
Put these parts together, add a long, rolled strip of green paper for the stem, and you’re done! You can turn it into a three-dimensional wall decoration, or arrange the flowers in a bottle like a vase.
Enjoy this seasonal, precious flower and feel the arrival of autumn.
Origami chrysanthemum
Let’s recreate the beautiful, finely layered petals of a chrysanthemum using origami.
The key is the narrow accordion folding, which also helps train precise finger movements.
After folding the paper into an accordion, trim both ends into rounded shapes to suggest petals, fold the strip in half, and glue it—prepare two of these.
Connect them and fan them out into a circle to complete the flower.
For added color gradation and depth, stack two tiers of different sizes, and adding leaves is also recommended.
A gift for Respect for the Aged Day, too! An origami crane wreath
Cranes are also famous as symbols of longevity.
How about making a crane-themed wreath for Respect-for-the-Aged Day? You can assemble folded paper cranes like a puzzle to form a wreath, use a paper plate and attach the cranes to it, draw pictures of cranes—the methods are endless.
Try swapping them with friends or displaying them at Respect-for-the-Aged Day events.
Using origami with traditional Japanese patterns will give your wreath an even more stylish finish!