Each scale shifts a portion of the paper layer downward, locking into the next.
If you have not folded Kamiya’s Ancient Dragon or Wizard , do not attempt the Ryujin. You will fail. This tutorial assumes you are an intermediate-to-advanced folder.
Mastering the Origami Ryujin 3.5: A Detailed Tutorial & Updated Techniques
Use fine tweezers to pluck out the hidden layers that form the sharp teeth and distinct eye sockets. origami ryujin 35 tutorial upd
: A square of at least 1.5 meters per side is recommended. While a 1-meter square is possible, it is extremely difficult for beginners.
Modern tutorials generally break the process into four distinct stages:
The Ryujin 3.5 is a Japanese-style dragon, characterized by its immense length, detailed scales, armored underbelly, and elaborate head. Unlike the Ryujin 2.1 or 3.0, the 3.5 version offers improved structural integrity, allowing the massive amount of paper to hold its shape better. Satoshi Kamiya Difficulty: Extreme (Only for advanced folders) Time Commitment: Weeks, sometimes months. 2. Preparing for the Challenge (Updated Techniques) Each scale shifts a portion of the paper
Needed for shaping the scales and head details.
Attempting this model requires extreme patience, precise math, and advanced folding techniques. Because no step-by-step diagram book exists for the full version, folders must rely on the Crease Pattern (CP) and specialized instructional breakdowns. 📋 Essential Prerequisites
Why put yourself through this? Because the result is breathtaking. A perfectly folded Ryujin 3.5 looks less like paper and more like a mythological creature captured in stasis. The detail is "mind-numbing" both externally and internally. For the folder, completing the Ryujin is a life achievement. As one person who finished the model after 11 weeks of on-and-off work described it, "Looking at it I can remember every part of the fold, but cannot accept nor believe it was me that folded it". While a 1-meter square is possible, it is
Scales are formed by collapsing the diagonal grid intersections into tiny, overlapping pleats.
Use a precise mathematical trisection on your 32nd units to divide each segment into three equal parts (