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How to Make an Origami Ninja Star

Easy11 steps Toys and things

The classic two-piece ninja star (shuriken). Fold two identical strips into Z-shaped units, cross them and tuck the points into each other's pockets. No glue needed.

You need: Two squares of origami paper, ideally in two colours. The finished star is about as wide as one square.

Print instructions (PDF) See the steps Printable paper

Step by step

1
You need two squares in two colours, white side up. Fold each one in half from side to side, then unfold.
2
Fold the left and right edges in to the centre crease.
3
Fold each one in half to make a long strip.
4
Fold the top half of each strip to the side, on a slanted line that starts at the middle. Fold the two strips opposite ways.
5
Fold the bottom halves to the other side the same way.
6
Turn both pieces over.
7
Fold the square at each end in half to make a triangle.
8
Turn the blue piece over, give it a quarter turn and lay it across the middle of the red piece.
9
Fold the two red points over the blue piece and tuck them under the blue flaps.
10
Turn the paper over.
11
Fold the two blue points over the red piece and tuck them under the red flaps.
✓
Your ninja star is done.

Tips

Crease every fold sharply: the points only stay tucked if the pockets are tight.
Two colours make the pinwheel pattern show. You can also cut one square in half and fold each half in half lengthwise to get the same strips.