Origami Buddha by Taro Yaguchi Featured on the Cover of Tricycle: The Buddhist Review (Spring 2026)

We are honored to announce that “Origami Buddha,” created by Taro Yaguchi—founder of Taro’s Origami Studio and internationally recognized origami artist—has been selected as the cover artwork for the Spring 2026 issue of Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, a leading global Buddhist magazine.

In addition, Taro Yaguchi is featured in the magazine’s “Featured Contributors” section, where an article introduces the background of the work and highlights his career.

The Conversation | FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS

Taro Yaguchi

THE BUDDHA FEATURED ON THIS issue’s cover was crafted for Tricycle by origami artist and teacher Taro Yaguchi, founder of Taro’s Origami Studio, with locations in Brooklyn, New York, and Asakusa, Tokyo. His studio is one of the largest in the world and has produced pieces for global corporations and cultural institutions. Yaguchi’s love for the art began at an early age, as he grew up in Japan with a grandfather in the paper business and a mother who was a wood sculptor. While working on this project, he recalled childhood memories of watching his mother carve Buddhist figures. “The atmosphere of her studio and the process of watching figures emerge from wood shaped my early understanding of the dignity and calm embodied in Buddhist imagery,” he told Tricycle. “These impressions naturally guide my approach when I fold sacred or contemplative forms.” Yaguchi is also an international patent attorney with a background in mechanical engineering.

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In this article, we share behind-the-scenes insights into the making of the Tricycle cover.

What Is Tricycle?

Tricycle: The Buddhist Review is an internationally respected Buddhist magazine based in the United States. It publishes essays and features on Buddhist philosophy, practice, and culture for readers around the world.

The selection of an Origami Buddha by a Japanese artist for the Spring 2026 cover marks a significant moment—one in which the Japanese cultural art of origami is recognized on a global media platform.

Concept Behind the Origami Buddha

This Origami Buddha is not merely an abstract folded form.

Taro Yaguchi approaches his work with careful attention to human posture and structural balance. For this piece, he first folded the seated body structure and then constructed the robe separately using another sheet of paper, creating a layered composition.

While studying the posture and balance of traditional Buddhist sculptures, he sought to preserve the clarity, restraint, and stillness unique to origami.

Experience with the Tokyo Olympics (IOC)

During the Tokyo Olympics, Taro Yaguchi was commissioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to create 17 Olympic pictograms in origami form.

Throughout the Games, these works were posted daily as stop-motion animations on the official X (formerly Twitter) account.

Taro’s Origami Studio
2020 Tokyo Olympics Project
🕒️February 14, 2025
It was a long road to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but when the Games finally arrived, we were incredibly proud to be a small part of this historic event.For the Tokyo 2020 Games, origami artist Taro Yaguchi designed a series of original origami athlete models in collaboration with the Olympic Channel. These designs were created specifically for the Games and incorporated authentic Japanese paper folding into the Olympic Channel’s social media content.In total, 17 original origami models were des...

The experience of folding these dynamic human figures in motion contributed to the structural precision and subtle expressiveness required in the Buddha project.

Exploration of Color and Design

During the creative process, multiple variations were explored, including:

  • A gold Buddha

  • A glitter-accented robe

  • Different interpretations of the lotus pedestal

Ultimately, a subtractive design approach was chosen in order to allow the central figure of the Buddha to stand out most clearly.

By balancing graphic strength with spiritual presence, the final visual became quiet, simple, and contemplative.

Photography at the Brooklyn Studio

The photoshoot took place at the studio in Brooklyn, New York.

A clean, texture-free background was selected to carefully control the three-dimensionality of the folded form and the reflective qualities of gold.

Part of the folding process was also documented, emphasizing that the act of folding itself is an integral part of the artwork.

About Taro’s Origami Studio

Founded in 2010 by Taro Yaguchi, Taro’s Origami Studio is one of the world’s largest professional origami studios, with locations in Brooklyn, New York, and Akasaka, Tokyo.

The studio has produced numerous international commercial projects, corporate collaborations, and large-scale installations for cultural institutions.

The Tricycle cover represents a symbolic project—one that connects origami with global media and contemporary spiritual discourse.

When Origami Connects with the World

From the simplest material—paper—emerges a form that now graces the cover of an international Buddhist magazine.

This project reaffirms the global potential of origami as an expression of Japanese culture.

Taro’s Origami Studio will continue to connect with the world through the art of origami.

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