Early March in Japan is Hina dolls season. Families bring out tiered shelves of little court figures — an emperor, an empress, musicians, ladies in waiting — and pack them away again once the festival passes. These origami versions capture just the two principal figures, small enough to finish in a few minutes each and friendly enough to fold with children.

The two dolls are near twins for most of the folding: steps one through nine are identical, and only the way the robe and headpiece are shaped at the end separates them. That makes this a pleasing pair to fold rather than two separate projects. Paper choice carries the result — choose sheets with colour so the robes show, ideally red, pink or a small pattern, and fold each figure in a different colour so they read clearly when displayed side by side.

Finish them with a couple of pen dots for eyes and a tiny smile, then set the pair on a shelf, a folded paper stand, or give them to someone as a handmade greeting for the festival.

Hinamatsuri, the Japanese Doll Festival, is coming, and these little origami dolls are folded to celebrate it. Below you will find how to fold both figures of the pair with step-by-step photos — have a go if you like.

How to Fold Hina Dolls with Origami

It is nearly time for the Doll Festival, when Hina dolls are put on display in homes across Japan.

A traditional set shows rows of attendant figures — court ladies, musicians and ministers — but there is nothing stopping you from making your own pair out of origami paper. Here I fold the two principal dolls: the female figure and the male figure.

A small piece of trivia: strictly speaking the pair of male and female dolls together is what is known as the dairi-bina, not just the male figure on his own. I had that wrong for years myself — one learns something new every day.

The photos below show how to fold the female doll first, then the male.

The two differ only in their dress and headpiece, so once you can fold one, the other follows easily.

The Finished Female Doll

Let us start with the female doll.

It is very easy to fold.

Folding Steps: Female Doll

Folded carefully, your female doll will come out looking like the photo above.

This is the graceful figure most people picture when they think of Hina dolls.

Charming, is it not?

How to fold a female chick

STEP 1. Fold the square origami paper into triangles. When you get a fold line, open it.

STEP 2. Fold the top and bottom along the center fold line as shown.

STEP 3. Turn it over.

STEP 4. Fold the top and bottom along the fold line.

STEP 5. Fold the whole model in half, then turn it over.

STEP 6. Fold up the front layer only, creasing at the coloured point where the paper turns.

STEP 7. Turn it over.

STEP 8. Fold it up as shown.

STEP 9. Next, fold the flap down. Up to here the folding is identical for both dolls.

STEP 10. Insert the lower triangular part inside.

STEP 11. Fold both corners toward the center.

STEP 12. Fold the top triangle of the face down, away from you. The female doll is now complete.

How to Fold the Male Doll

The Finished Male Doll

Your male doll will look like this once it is finished.

Folding Steps: Male Doll

STEP 1. Fold steps 1 to 9 of the female doll in exactly the same way.

STEP 2. Fold the bottom triangle up.

STEP 3. Fold both corners toward the center.

STEP 4. Shape the face in stages as shown. The male doll is complete.