How to Fold a Paper Ninja Star (Shuriken)
Fold and interlock two square sheets of paper into a crisp, four-pointed origami ninja star with balanced points and snug locking flaps.
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🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Bone folder (or plastic ruler edge)
- ✓ Flat, smooth work surface
- ✓ Precision scissors (if cutting paper to size)
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ 2 square sheets of origami paper (contrasting colors recommended)
- ✓ Standard copy paper (optional alternative)
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Keep fingers clear of scissors blades when trimming sheets into squares.
- • Never throw folded paper stars toward people, pets, or fragile objects.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (5 Steps)
Fold Both Sheets into Long Strips
Lay both square sheets flat on the work surface. Fold each sheet in half horizontally from bottom to top, crease sharply with a bone folder, then fold in half horizontally again in the same direction to form two long, narrow rectangular strips.
- • Two narrow, identical-width rectangular strips lying parallel on the surface.
- • Sharp, flat crease lines with no bubbling or uneven edge overhang.
- • Folding unevenly so the raw edges do not align cleanly along the perimeter.
Create Mirror-Image Center Creases and Corner Folds
Fold each strip in half end-to-end to create a center reference crease, then unfold. On Strip A, fold the left half upward at a 90-degree angle along the center crease and the right half downward at a 90-degree angle. On Strip B, fold the left half downward and the right half upward to create the exact mirror image.
- • One strip forms a 'Z' shape and the other forms an 'S' (mirror-inverted) shape.
- • Both 90-degree bends align precisely at the vertical center fold lines.
- • Folding both strips in the identical direction instead of mirroring them.
Fold Corner Triangles into Parallelograms
Flip both folded pieces over so the smooth side faces up. On the outer ends of each strip, fold the square corner diagonally inward to create a triangle point, ensuring the triangle slopes inward toward the center body of the piece.
- • Each unit features two pointed triangular tabs extending from opposite ends.
- • The overall outline of each piece resembles two connected triangles forming a parallelogram.
- • Folding the triangle flap outward, which creates a trapezoid instead of a pointed parallelogram.
Pre-Crease Flaps and Form the Cross
Fold the top and bottom triangular flaps of both units inward across the central body to form compact diamond shapes, then unfold them slightly to roughly 45 degrees. Place Unit A horizontally with its folded seams facing up, and place Unit B vertically on top with its smooth side facing up, creating an 'X' shape.
- • A four-armed cross/X configuration lying flat on the table.
- • The horizontal piece has open pocket flaps facing up, while the vertical piece lies flat against it.
- • Placing both pieces with their open seam sides facing together or facing outward in the same orientation.
Tuck and Interlock the Four Points
Fold the top and bottom triangular flaps of the bottom horizontal unit inward and tuck their pointed tips completely inside the diagonal pockets of the top vertical unit. Flip the entire ninja star over and tuck the remaining two triangular flaps into the remaining two surface pockets.
- • A symmetrical, four-pointed shuriken with all four points locked tightly into central diagonal pockets.
- • No loose flaps protruding or unanchored paper edges.
- • Trying to force a flap over paper rather than sliding the tip deep inside the diagonal pocket seam.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by Paper Artistry Hub — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Bone folder? Back edge of a butter knife or a plastic gift card
- No Origami paper? A4 or Letter printer paper cut into exact squares