How to Fold a Shirt in Japan

The East Asian island nation of Japan has a culture that is rich in tradition. One long-held Japanese tradition, is that of proper shirt folding. Possibly influenced by the delicate folds of origami or the swift movements of karate, folding a shirt in the traditional Japanese method is a soothing exercise.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Sit on your knees, on the floor, spreading your shirt neatly in front of you, sideways, so that the neck faces to the right. Hold your palm out flat, with your thumb facing upward. Find the center point of the shirt and use your hand to make a crease in the mid-section. Begin at the far side of the shirt under one arm, drawing your hand toward you, under the other arm of the shirt.
2. Pinch a piece of the shirt on the furthest edge of the crease with your left hand, 2 or 3 inches from the edge of the shirt. Draw your right hand right, toward the neck of the shirt, making a parallel line from your left to right hand. Pinch the neck edge with your right hand.
3. Maintain your grip while crossing your right hand over your left hand in the direction of the waist opening. Keeping the neckline in your grasp, pinch the lower edge of the shirt along the waist opening, again about 2 or 3 inches from the edge.
4. Pick up the shirt and simply uncross your hands. To finish the fold, drape the loose arm on the floor and fold the shirt in half over the top of the arm. You should now have a perfectly folded shirt.