Helmet

If you've ever seen a Japanese Children's Day display, you've probably met the kabuto — the fierce, graceful samurai helmet that sits atop the carp streamers. Folding one out of a single square of paper is a small piece of that tradition you can hold in your hand, and it's a project passed down through generations of Japanese families.

Don't let the rows of little red and green circle marks scare you off. They're just signposts telling you which corner should meet which, and once you've done the first couple of matches the rhythm clicks. Grab a sheet of origami and let's armor up.

Things to prepare

1 sheet of standard origami paper (15 cm x 15 cm).

How to fold a helmet

STEP 1. Place the origami with the uncolored side facing up. Fold it in half diagonally to form a triangle and crease it.

STEP 2. Make a valley fold like this, then unfold it.

STEP 3. Valley-fold along the center dotted line.

STEP 4. Valley-fold along the dotted line so it lines up with the crease at the thin black line in the middle.

STEP 5. Valley-fold along the dotted line so the lower red-circled corner matches the upper green-circled corner.

STEP 6. Valley-fold along the dotted line so the upper red-circled corners match the left and right green-circled corners, making a crease.

STEP 7. Make a valley fold to crease it like this, then lay it flat again.

STEP 8. Valley-fold along the dotted line so the green-lined edge lines up with the thin black line you just creased.

STEP 9. Take the front layer of the lower corner marked with a red circle and valley-fold it along the dotted line so it meets the upper green-circle mark. The green circle marks the midpoint of the vertical edge.