How to make an origami incense box
Origami Incense Box: try all 36 steps in the 3D player. Turn and replay every move. Print the complete diagram sheet or save it as PDF.
An Origami Tutor design for the traditional 1905 Japanese incense box, derived from the star box with four flattened pockets, folded rim cuffs, and a square bowl.
- You need
- One square of thin paper. No glue or scissors.
- Start
- Start colored side up, with a corner pointing up. The later rim folds show the white reverse around the colored bowl.
- Tips
- Keep the loose points above while shaping the pockets.
- Match both sloping edges to the center before pressing each kite fold.
Your model is ready
The four points are folded down and the outer rim cuffs are formed. Open the bowl gently from above to complete the incense box. The finished incense box, its four points and folded rim cuffs framing the square bowl.
Step-by-step diagrams
Steps 1–7
- 1
Crease a diagonal
Bring the top corner down to the bottom corner, press, and open.
- 2
Crease the other diagonal
Bring the left corner to the right corner, press, and open.
- 3
Turn over
Turn the paper over, keeping a corner pointing up.
- 4
Crease edge to edge
Fold the bottom-left edge up to the top-right edge, press, and open.
- 5
Crease the other way
Fold the bottom-right edge up to the top-left edge, press, and open.
- 6
Turn back
Turn the paper back over, keeping a corner pointing up.
- 7
Collapse into a square
Hold the bottom corner. Push the left and right corners in and down so the paper collapses along the creases into a small square, open end at the bottom.
Steps 8–14
- 8
Point the open end up
Turn the small square around in the page so the loose points are at the top.
- 9
Fold the upper left edge in (front)
Fold the upper left edge of the front flap to the vertical middle crease.
- 10
Fold the upper right edge in (front)
Fold the upper right edge to meet it at the middle.
- 11
Flatten the right pocket (front)
Lift the folded right flap, spread its two skins, and press its folded edge onto the sloping hinge. Flatten the pocket into a broad triangle.
- 12
Flatten the left pocket (front)
Lift the folded left flap, spread its two skins, and press its folded edge onto the sloping hinge. Flatten the pocket into a broad triangle.
- 13
Turn over
Turn the model over, keeping the loose points at the top.
- 14
Fold the upper left edge in (back)
Fold the upper left edge of the front flap to the vertical middle crease.
Steps 15–21
- 15
Fold the upper right edge in (back)
Fold the upper right edge to meet it at the middle.
- 16
Flatten the right pocket (back)
Lift the folded right flap, spread its two skins, and press its folded edge onto the sloping hinge. Flatten the pocket into a broad triangle.
- 17
Flatten the left pocket (back)
Lift the folded left flap, spread its two skins, and press its folded edge onto the sloping hinge. Flatten the pocket into a broad triangle.
- 18
Turn a page (back)
Fold the front right flap across to the left along the vertical middle, like turning a page.
- 19
Turn over
Turn the model over to turn the corresponding page behind.
- 20
Turn a page (front)
Fold the front right flap across to the left along the vertical middle, like turning a page.
- 21
Fold the upper left edge in (inner-front)
Fold the upper left edge of the front flap to the vertical middle crease.
Steps 22–28
- 22
Fold the upper right edge in (inner-front)
Fold the upper right edge to meet it at the middle.
- 23
Turn over
Turn the model over, keeping its tall point above.
- 24
Fold the upper left edge in (inner-back)
Fold the upper left edge of the front flap to the vertical middle crease.
- 25
Fold the upper right edge in (inner-back)
Fold the upper right edge to meet it at the middle.
- 26
Fold the front point down
Fold the tall front point down across the face, along the line joining the tops of the two narrowing flaps.
- 27
Turn over
Turn the model over, keeping the folded point at the bottom.
- 28
Fold the back point down
Fold this face's tall point down in the same way.
Steps 29–35
- 29
Turn a page (third face)
Fold the front right flap across to the left along the vertical middle, like turning a page.
- 30
Fold the third point down
A new face with its point still up is in front. Fold its point down along the tops of its narrowing flaps.
- 31
Turn over
Turn the model over.
- 32
Turn a page (fourth face)
Fold the front right flap across to the left along the vertical middle, like turning a page.
- 33
Fold the fourth point down
Fold the last tall point down. All four points now lie folded down over the four faces.
- 34
Fold the front rim cuff up
Fold the front point's tip up along a horizontal line to form the first rim cuff.
- 35
Turn over
Turn the box over to reach the opposite point.
Step 36
- 36
Fold the back rim cuff up
Fold the opposite point's tip up in the same way to form the second rim cuff.
- ✓
Finish
The four points are folded down and the outer rim cuffs are formed. Open the bowl gently from above to complete the incense box. The finished incense box, its four points and folded rim cuffs framing the square bowl.
Fold next
Sanbo ↗
The traditional Japanese offering tray, with a square bowl and two broad side flaps, completed in a clean Origami Tutor sequence.
Star box ↗
The traditional four-point star box, pictured in Japan in 1734, with a colored bowl and white points.
Japanese box ↗
The winged Japanese box recorded in 1902 as La Boite Japonaise, prepared from a square base.
Candy box ↗
An Origami Tutor candy-tray design with a square bowl and four broad, outward-folded rims. Its corner pleats hold the walls together without cuts or glue.