kusudama

{{Short description|Form of origami}}

File:Kusudama4.jpg

The {{nihongo|kusudama|薬玉|extra={{literal|medicine ball}}}} is a paper model that is usually (although not always) created by sewing multiple identical pyramidal units together using underlying geometric principles of polyhedra to form a spherical shape. Alternately the individual components may be glued together. (e.g. the kusudama in the lower photo is not threaded together) Occasionally, a tassel is attached to the bottom for decoration.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/origami-kusudama-flower-2540931|title=7 Steps to a Pretty Origami Kusudama Flower|work=The Spruce Crafts|access-date=2018-07-24}}

The term kusudama originates from ancient Japanese culture, where they were used for incense and potpourri; possibly originally being actual bunches of flowers or herbs.{{Cite news|url=https://www.homedit.com/kusudama-flower/|title=Step-By-Step Kusudama Flower Ball|date=2016-03-16|work=Home Decorating Trends - Homedit|access-date=2018-07-24|language=en-US}} The word itself is a combination of two Japanese words kusuri ("medicine") and tama ("ball"). They are now typically used as decorations, or as gifts.{{Cite web|url=http://origami-art.us/instructions/112-traditional-japanese-kusudama|title=Traditional Japanese kusudama|website=origami-art.us|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-07-24}}

The kusudama is important in origami. Traditional kusudama can be made from origami flowers, such as the traditional origami lily. Instead of using string, many modern origami kusudama take the form of modular origami, where folded units are typically assembled by inserting flaps into pockets of adjacent units.{{Cite web|url=http://www.britishorigami.info/lister/kusudamas.php|title=David Lister on Kusudamas|website=www.britishorigami.info|access-date=2018-07-24}}

Although some origami purists frown upon threading or gluing the units together, others recognize that early traditional Japanese origami often used both cutting (see thousand origami cranes or senbazuru) and pasting, and respect kusudama as an ingenious traditional paper folding craft in the origami world.

Modern origami masters such as Tomoko Fuse have created new kusudama designs that are entirely assembled without cutting, glue, or thread except as a hanger.{{Cite web|url=http://www.origami-galerie.de/yorokobi/index.htm|title=origami-galerie|last=mulatinho|website=www.origami-galerie.de|access-date=2018-07-24}}