How to Fold an Origami Paper Crane: Step-by-Step Guide

A traditional origami crane starts with one square sheet and uses a sequence of diagonal folds, a preliminary square base, and a bird base. No cutting or glue is required. The trickiest move is opening each flap into a long diamond, so make the guide creases carefully before lifting the paper.

In Japan, strings of 1,000 folded cranes are known as senbazuru and are associated with wishes, healing, remembrance, and peace. A single crane also works as a hanging decoration, gift topper, or place card.

What you need

One square sheet of origami or lightweight craft paper
A flat, clean surface
Optional thread and a blunt needle for hanging the finished crane

For one-sided paper, �colored side� below means the side you want visible on the outside of the crane. Beginners should use a larger square and paper that holds a crease without tearing.

How to fold an origami crane

1. Make diagonal and horizontal guide creases

Start with the colored side facing up. Fold the square diagonally corner to corner, crease, and reopen. Repeat on the other diagonal.

Square paper with diagonal and horizontal guide creases

Turn the paper over so the colored side faces down. Fold it in half from top to bottom, reopen, then fold it in half from left to right and reopen. You should have four creases intersecting at the center.

2. Collapse the paper into a square base

Bring the left and right corners toward each other while guiding the top corner down. The diagonal creases should fold inward and the paper should collapse into a smaller layered square. Rotate it so the closed point is at the top and the open flaps point toward you.

Collapsed preliminary square base for an origami crane

3. Prepare the bird-base creases

On the top layer, fold the lower left and lower right edges inward so they meet the vertical center crease, forming a kite. Fold the top triangular flap down across the upper edges, crease it, and then reopen all three folds. Turn the model over and repeat so both sides have matching guide creases.

Side edges folded toward the center to form a kite Top triangle folded down to mark the bird-base crease

4. Open each side into a long diamond

Lift the bottom corner of the top layer upward. As it rises, allow the left and right edges to fold inward along the creases from the previous step. Flatten the flap into a long diamond, with a pointed top.

Top flap opened upward along the prepared creases

Turn the model over and repeat the same opening fold. You now have the bird base shown below.

Completed bird base with long diamond shape

5. Narrow the neck and tail

Keep the split points facing down. On the top layer, fold the lower left and right edges to the center line, creating narrower points. Turn the model over and repeat on the other side.

Edges folded inward to narrow the crane neck and tail

6. Raise the neck and tail

Lift one narrow point between the outer layers and fold it upward from inside the body. Reverse the crease so the point stays raised; this is an inside reverse fold. Repeat with the other narrow point. One will become the neck and the other the tail.

7. Form the head and wings

Choose the neck side. Make a smaller inside reverse fold near its tip to create the head and beak. Fold the two broad flaps down in opposite directions to form wings. Match their crease height so the crane is balanced.

8. Shape the body

Hold the wings close to the body and pull them apart gently. Open the body only enough to give it shape; forceful pulling can split the paper or undo the neck folds.

Finished origami crane with formed head, wings, and tail

Troubleshooting

Problem	What to check
The square base will not collapse	Diagonal creases should fold one way and horizontal creases the opposite way; reverse any crease that resists.
The long diamond becomes wrinkled	Reopen it and align both side edges with the center before flattening.
The neck or tail falls sideways	Sharpen the inside reverse fold at the point where it enters the body.
The wings are uneven	Reopen one wing and match its fold line to the other side.

Display ideas

Thread several cranes through the center of their bodies and separate them with knots, or place individual cranes on cards and gifts. Avoid suspending them directly above candles, cooking surfaces, or other heat sources. For more paper crafts, make paper peach blossoms for T?t or follow the illustrated guide to a flat-bottomed paper boat.