All about Origami (komonjyo)

Is Origami an official papers?
(It meant in old Japan)

Komonjyo means old historical papers. The word 'origami' meant the certain kind of papers that are used for the official paper Komonjyo. You might know that the paper was very valuable in old days.

Washi-paper in long side rectangle was called Tategami. People folded sideways and wrote vertically. So, this type of papers was called 'origami' (meaning folded paper). It had been used since Heian-era(794-1192), and during Kamakura-era and Muromachi-era (1192-1573), became more commonly used.

This 'origami' was non-official form of 'Tategami'. They wrote vertically, after folding bottom side up. (Folding crease should be the bottom side) For the next page, turn the paper and continued.

This 'origami' (-non official form paper) was used for the lists of gift, a list of names or other simple letters. But gradually people up-graded this to the formal paper, and it was widely used for the complains (statement of claim), or official reports.

In Edo-era (1603-1868),'origami'is used for the certificates for the valuable and famous Samurai swords, artistsﾕ pictures and calligraphy. When you say something is with ﾔorigamiﾕ (Origamituki), it certifies its quality. This term is still used in modern Japanese.

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