Credits and Resources
Text-Only Instructions - Copyright 2025 by Lindy van der Merwe
accessorigami.com
Various sites show how to fold this famous cube by Shuzo Fujimoto.
For visual/video instructions, go to
fujimoto-cube
With thankful acknowledgement to Elrina van der Merwe for her practical help and to Michal Kosmulski for his patient and kind explanations via email, some of which is quoted as part of the text below.
Michal has spent considerable time and effort in making the work of Fujimoto accessible and available on-line and to more people in general.
You can read his article on the life and origami of Shuzo Fujimoto at the following link:
Shuzo Fujimoto - First Origami Engineer
Paper to be used: A square of around 15 x 15 cm or larger - thicker paper or thin card stock is strongly recommended. You can try to use copy or printer paper or even braille paper should work well for this cube.
Folding level: Intermediate
Steps: 7
Remarks:
If lightly wrapped with ribbon, this cube makes a nice hanging decoration.
To use as a box, small objects can be added before the cube is closed.
Description: The Fujimoto Cube, undoubtedly one of Shuzo Fujimoto's most famous models, is considered by many to be a work of genious. The finished model is a regular cube with six faces that are all the same size. However, two opposite faces of this cube feature a beautiful "pinwheel" motif, made up of four triangles that are formed into an overlapping, spiral pattern. The remaining four faces of the cube are smooth. This remarkable model is folded with a single sheet of paper.
The folding process includes making a grid, adding diagonal folds and then using a sliding move to transform or collapse the structure into the required shape.
I have tried, as far as possible, to describe the sliding or collapsing step used in this tutorial in detail. If you have any feedback or would like help with this model, please feel free to contact accessorigami@gmail.com
PART 1 - PRECREASES
Making strong and accurate precreases is especially important for this model, since it relies on various creases to fold in a certain way for the collapse to be successful.
STEP 1 - THE GRID
We will first form a grid of 16 squares, which will all be formed by making vertical and horizontal valley folds.
You can perform these precreases in any way you prefer, as long as all of them end up being valley folds on the side of the paper you have chosen for the inside of the cube.
You will position the square with its edges at the top and bottom and on the left and right.
Perhaps the easiest and most accurate way would be to make a book fold, followed by a cupboard fold. Unfold the square and rotate it 90 degrees. Then repeat the book and cupboard folds. Unfold.
Some people find it easier to fold an edge away from them, so you can just as well fold the top and bottom edges of the paper instead of folding from left to right.
Result: You should end up with a square that has been divided into 16 small squares or with the crease lines forming a 4 by 4 grid.
STEP 2 - THE DIAGONALS
With your square flat and one of its edges nearest you, mentally divide your square into four rows, numbering them from one at the top to four at the bottom.
- Keep in mind that the rows will stay in this orientation for the rest of the tutorial.
- We are going to add diagonal creases in row 2 and row 4.
- Like the creases of the grid, the diagonal lines should also be valley creases, so make sure your paper is not turned over after Step 1.
- Each small block should have its own crease that should run from the top left corner diagonally down to the bottom right corner.
- This means there will be eight diagonal creases in total, 4 in row 2 and 4 in row 4.
- If you have not performed isolated folds like these before, take your time to practice so you can get used to manipulating the paper. - - For some models it won't matter if you make "extra" creases, but in this case it is important to have creases only where indicated.
You may prefer to keep the sheet flat on the table, or it may be easier to fold it in the air. Don't hesitate to turn the sheet in any orientation that will allow you to make the folds in the right direction. Be especially careful with the corners of the diagonal folds. - They should not extend beyond the corners of the square you are working with.
- If your grid is accurate, with strong creases, this will make folding the diagonals easier as well.
The diagonal creases across the inner squares will be more difficult to make. Just be patient and you will find ways to manipulate the paper in these areas.
You should now have the following:
Top Row: 4 squares with no creases.
Row 2: 4 squares, each with diagonal creases from top left to bottom right.
Row 3: 4 squares with no creases.
Bottom Row: 4 squares, each with diagonal creases from top left to bottom right.
STEP 3 - STRENGTHENING VERTICAL AND DIAGONAL CREASES
In this step we are going to combine our vertical and diagonal creases in order to strengthen them even more and coax them in a certain direction.
3.1 Row 4
We will first be working with the four squares in row 4, the row nearest us, starting on the left and moving to the right.
(A) Bring the row of four squares into an upright position along the first horizontal crease line from the bottom.
We will call this line 1.
(B) Holding the paper upright, at 90 degrees in relation to the table, start with the left square and fold over the left corner along the existing diagonal crease so that the left edge of the square meets line 1. It will now seem as if your first block on the left has a half triangle missing.
We will call the remaining two-layered triangle in this first square T1.
(C) Next, take T1 and gently push it to the right so it will tilt over, bringing the entire left edge of the model with it. T1 will tilt along the first vertical fold from the left.
Result: The first two-layered triangle will move in behind a newly-created second triangle.
We can also say T1 should have moved behind a second triangle, T2.
(D) Now, holding T1 and T2 together, since they are now in the same square, and perform the same tilting action to the right. This time, both the folded triangles on the left will tilt over to the right and slot in behind a third triangle, starting to form the spiral or pinwheel shape.
Each time your entire long square will also fold over to the right, along the vertical crease lines of the model, forming what can be described as a square tube.
(E) Tilt T3, together with the two triangles behind it, to the right for the last time, bringing the entire shape with you. The three folded triangles should move in behind the last triangle on the right, which will now be nearest you. T4 will also be two-layered, sloping upwards to the right into a point that will face the ceiling.
Result: The entire shape should now be a long, square tube, its one end closed nearest you and the raw edges of the left and right sides of the original square will meet on the long, right side of the tube.
For now, we are just precreasing the closure. This is also done in order to give you an idea as to what the opposite face of the cube will look like.
(F) So, open the sheet all the way, pressing it flat, but without erasing the folds you have created in the row nearest you.
3.2 Row 2
We will now be working with the four squares in row 2, the second row from the top.
(A) Bring the row of four squares into an upright position along the center horizontal crease line of your square.
This line is also the second from the bottom and we will call it line 2.
Note: Unlike with row 4, where we only lifted a single row with 4 squares, things may feel different because, in this case, we are lifting 2 rows with 8 squares in total.
However, we will be working mainly with the second row, where all our diagonal creases have been made already.
Instead of folding the model closed as we did for row 4, we will just accentuate our diagonal and vertical creases so they will start to work together towards forming the 3D cube shape.
We are going to handle the precreases in this row for each of the four squares separately since it is in this row where the actual twisting of the paper will take place. So, although we will end up with the same pinwheel or spiral pattern on this side of the cube as we have seen in 3.1 above, on this side of the cube, some of our squares and triangles will move or switch places, so we cannot simply fold from left to right as we did previously with row 4.
(B) Square 1:
While holding the paper upright as just described, bring the left edge of the paper upright as well, along the left vertical crease. As you do this, pinch the diagonal fold in the first square on the left. The square should fold in half towards the right, forming a small corner on the outside back of the paper you are holding up.
So, after this precrease, you will have the following:
6 squares flat on the table; another 6 squares will be upright, like a wall in front of you; on the left, there will be another, fairly low wall made up of 2 squares; behind the large wall, on the left will be one single square and just below it, our folded two-layered triangle, which we can call S1.
Make strong creases and then unfold.
(C) Square 4:
While holding the paper upright again as in the previous step, pinch the diagonal fold in the first square on the right so it folds into a two-layered triangle. At the same time, the wall that you are holding up should fold down towards you, forming a roof of 3 squares.
Make strong creases and unfold.
(D) Square 3: Repeat pinching this square, second from the right in the same way. Try to ignore the other folds, just reinforcing this one diagonal. You will have a roof of 2 squares forming to the left of square 3.
(E) Square 2: Lastly, repeat the previous two folds with square 2, ignoring the creases to its right for the moment.
Crease well.
(F) Open the sheet all the way again, pressing it flat, but without erasing the folds you have created in this row.
3.3 Vertical Creases
To finally strengthen our vertical creases, we will first fold our sheet in half again, by bringing the top edge to meet the bottom edge. Now, accentuate the three vertical folds of your new, two-layered rectangle as valleys, folding through both layers.
In other words, you can fold the left edge of the folded rectangle over along the first crease line you encounter. Then doing the same with the vertical fold on the right and lastly, fold the sheet in half from either or both sides, to accentuate the central vertical crease.
Note that, from this point onwards, we will not be making any further creases in order to construct our cube. Instead, we will be manipulating our precreases to complete our cube.
PART 2 - THE COLLAPSE
For many people, the collapse will work flawlessly the first time. However, if this does not happen for you, you might need to help the folds along, which you can only do if you understand how the folds should fit together. This will be explained in the steps below.
To understand what we are aiming for, consider the following:
The collapse will change the model from a flat, two-layered rectangle into a 3D figure that will resemble a tube. The tube is formed by bringing in the sides of the structure, almost as if you are rolling up a paper from both sides, but of course the tube will have 90 degree corners.
The "tube" will form with the sides overlapping and furthest away from you, the diagonal folds will form the same spiral pattern that you observed when you formed the precreases for Row 4 above.
Step 4 - New Numbers and Orientation
Make sure your model is folded in half along its center horizontal crease line, with the hinge fold furthest away from you and the open edges of the paper on the sides and nearest you.
Important: Where you were making precreases on a single layer of paper, you will now be working with a two-layered rectangle, so keep this in mind for the next steps.
If you consider the top layer of the rectangle only, you will have 8 small squares, arranged in two rows. Mentally number the squares from 1 on the left to 4 on the right, now making up row 1 or the row furthest away from you. In row 2, nearest you, we will allocate numbers from 5 on the left to 8 on the right.
As mentioned, the collapse will form both the sides and the end of the tube furthest away from you. The diagonal folds that are now in row 1 will make this happen. The row nearest you will eventually be used to close the cube.
Step 5 - Changing Places
The collapse is started off by sliding square 7 so it comes to rest on top of square 2. In other words, the bottom layer of the paper should stay anchored on the table while you do the sliding motion with the top layer of the paper. In other words, the lower layer stays in place and the top layer glides across or slides above it. At the same time the diagonal creases in the top row become folded, forming a kind of staircase.
As the motion reaches its end, the staircase closes along the folds, forming one of the cube's faces. That face is like a shutter on a camera, where parts close in from all four sides, leaving just a microscopic hole in the center.
(A) So, locate square 7, which will be the square in the row nearest you, second from the right.
(B( Also locate square 2, which will be in Row 1, second from the left.
(C) Explanation:
With your left dhand, lift up the left edge of the rectangle along the first vertical crease from the left.
Hold this edge upright, like a wall, with your hand on the outside of the paper. Let your fingers rest at the left corner of the rectangle, furthest away from you.
You want to almost cup your left hand around the mentioned corner, holding it in place while you perform the sliding motion with your right hand.
Important: As you perform the next motion, on the left of the model, furthest away, you should feel a 90 degree corner forming, with a two-layered triangle on the outside of the structure. The left side will be made up of a kind of wall of two squares.
Also, what was square 5 will perform a flipping motion towards the right, forming a roof-like structure At the same time, the right side of the shape will also tilt left. You should find several triangles now overlapping each other, forming the pinwheel shape that will close the face of the cube furthest away from you.
The right side of the structure will tilt to the left, all the way until it slots in under the roof-like square mentioned earlier.
(D) Now, with your right hand, firmly push square 7 diagonally to the left. It should move one block to the left and one block forward, laying flat on top of the square second from the left in the top row of the rectangle.
This action may be difficult to achieve and it may feel like a strange maneuver at first. Don't be discouraged though. Press down hard enough on the paper so you can slide the top layer across the bottom layer. You should feel a definite corner forming at the top left of the model, almost as if you are gliding a block into the corner. If you remember the way the paper folded previously in Step 3. above, you will have an idea as to how things should look after the collapse. The precreases should fold in such a way that, when you slide block 7 on top of block 2, the folds will move and form in such a way as to make space for this to happen. If you encounter a lot of resistance and the paper shows no sign of collapsing or forming the small triangles in the pinwheel shape, it is likely that your folds won't allow this spiral formation yet.
You can try to first let the 90 degree corner form on the left side of the model, furthest away from you.
This will create a kind of wall for you to slide square 7 against. At the same time, the sides of the model, which will be the smooth squares, will also slide closed and across each other, into the narrow tube or tunnel structure mentioned earlier.
You can help things along by tilting the right side of the model to the left so that the overlapping triangles will come from both the left and the right, twisting into the spiral square we are looking for.
The squares nearest you will now form a tunnel with four sides, with a long slit on the left, where the raw edges of the paper meet.
The end of the tube nearest you will be a square with an opening
Once the tube has formed, you can make sure that it has no obstructions on the inside by inserting your finger all the way to the back. You will be able to check the spiral motif is formed from the inside as well as the outside of the cube.
If you find that the inside of the cube is not forming a flat panel, you can gently press the folds away from you as far as they will go. Step 6 - Tucking in a corner
After this step, one of the faces of the cube ends up being "on the outside" instead of "on the inside" of the cube and you have to move it to the inside.
With the open end of the tube still nearest you, find the long slit mentioned in the previous step. It should be on the left side of the tube shape. Follow this slit away from you to find the square that will be facing up, toward the ceiling. The square in question will have a loose corner on the bottom right, which can be lifted. Once you find the square, gently pull the panel on the right of it open to the right, while tucking in the square under the long right panel. When checking the spiral pattern on the face of the cube furthest away from you, you will find it is not complete yet. Once you do the changing of places with the panel on the long side of the tube, the spiral pattern will show up correctly and that face of the cube will be completed.
PART 3 - CLOSING THE CUBE
Step 7
Let the tube stand upright, with its closed end on the table and the open end should face the ceiling.
You will be using the squares around this open end to close the cube securely, using the same folds you had strengthened in Step 3.1 above to complete the spiral pattern at this end of the cube.
(a) Rotate the tube until you find a square that has a diagonal fold. This will be the square that had previously been on the far left. There will already be a diagonal fold, so, if necessary, fold the point of this square inwards so it disappears inside the tube.
(B) Now, press this same folded triangle flat so it folds on top of the open end of the tube. It should feel a little like you are snapping it into place as you push down.
(C) Rotate the tube to the right 90 degrees so you can find the next square.
(D) Push this square down on top of the previous one so it forms another triangle.
(E) Repeat once more.
(f) Lastly, you will find you are left with a two-layered pointy flap. Hold both layers of the flap together and fold it on top of the other triangles, tucking it inn under the nearest fold, completing the spiral pattern and finally closing the cube.
((G) Make sure the edges of the cube are straight and neat, especially where the two smooth sides
with raw edges come together. Also check that the spiral pattern on the two opposite faces are complete and correct.
Making origami accessible through text-based instructions.
For non-commercial use only.
Compiled by Lindy van der Merwe, May 2025
This text copyright 2025 by accessorigami.com
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