1. Introduction

In the spring of 2025, Taro’s Origami Studio had the honor of donating a life-sized origami fox sculpture to Fox Mill Elementary School in Herndon, Virginia. This collaboration was initiated in response to a thoughtful request from the school’s Japanese Cultural Committee, whose members were inspired by Taro Yaguchi’s  Origami Forest exhibition in Kyoto last year.

Taro’s Origami Studio
[Kyoto] Taro's ORIGAMI FOREST EXHIBITION
🕒️October 28, 2024
Overview of the Exhibition EventFrom April 22 to April 29, 2024, a special pop-up exhibition, "ORIGAMI FOREST," was held at ShinPuhKan in Kyoto. This event was a collaboration between KAI Corporation, a global cutlery manufacturer, and Ace Hotel Kyoto, renowned as an iconic design hotel. Origami artist Taro Yaguchi contributed his origami works aligned with the event's concept. The theme was "The Vitality of Paper and a Sustainable Future." By showcasing Taro Yaguchi&...
Taro’s Origami Studio
Live Giant Origami Performance at Ace Hotel Kyoto
🕒️May 31, 2024
Taro Yaguchi performed a captivating live giant origami folding demonstration in the elegant lobby of Ace Hotel Kyoto. This event served as a prelude to the ORIGAMI FOREST event hosted by Kai Corporation. Ace Hotel Kyoto, an architectural masterpiece designed by the renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and LA's Commune Design, combines the charm of historical structures with modern aesthetics. The hotel, known for its sophisticated ambiance, provided a perfect backdrop for this unique ...

The donation was made in celebration of the school’s annual Matsuri — a Japanese cultural festival that brings together students, families, and the broader community to experience traditional arts, food, and performances.

2. About Fox Mill Elementary School

Fox Mill Elementary is home to one of the most established Japanese Immersion Programs (JI) in the United States. Located in Fairfax County, Virginia, the program has been active since 1989 and offers students a bilingual education, with a curriculum split between English and Japanese.

foxmilles.fcps.edu
Japanese Immersion Program | Fox Mill Elementary School
https://foxmilles.fcps.edu/academics/japanese-immersion-program

Roughly 40% of students at Fox Mill participate in the JI program. In addition to language instruction, the school actively promotes Japanese culture through annual events such as Matsuri, which is organized by the school’s PTA Japanese Cultural Committee.

3. About the Donated Artwork

To celebrate Fox Mill’s school mascot—a fox—we created a life-sized origami fox sculpture using high-quality dual-tone paper. The piece was designed not only to capture the animal’s iconic form but also to reflect the values of precision, care, and creativity central to Japanese origami traditions.

The sculpture took many hours to complete and was folded by hand by Taro Yaguchi, a founder of Taro’s Origami Studio, with every crease made intentionally to bring the fox to life in a bold yet elegant form.

4. Highlights from the Festival Day

Matsuri 2025 welcomed approximately 1,000 attendees, including 400 students, their families, alumni, teachers, and even county officials. The festival featured a wide range of cultural activities:

  • Student singing performances

  • Judo demonstrations

  • Calligraphy and origami craft booths

  • Traditional Japanese games

  • Kimono dress-up corner

  • Food stands with a festive matsuri vibe

  • A handmade mikoshi (portable shrine) parade

Our origami fox was the centerpiece of the library’s photo booth, surrounded by festive decorations and a handmade mikoshi. According to the organizers, nearly every attendee stopped to take a photo with the sculpture, making it one of the most popular attractions of the day.

5. Post-Event Display and Use

After the festival, the fox sculpture was permanently installed in the school library, where it continues to be viewed by students and community members. A sign next to the display includes a photo, the artist’s signature, and a QR code linking to our studio’s Instagram account.

This permanent placement ensures that the artwork will continue to inspire creativity and curiosity among students for years to come.

6. Words of Appreciation from the PTA

We were deeply moved by the thoughtful messages we received from the organizers. Beth Hnatiw and Rieko Sandness, representing the Fox Mill PTA, shared their gratitude for the donation and the impact it had on the students and families.

“Thanks to your contributions, the photo booth was a big hit with both students and parents.”
“We are truly honored to feature your work at our Japanese Children’s Festival.”
“We hope to continue this special connection in the years ahead as part of the Japanese community in the U.S.”

They also kindly shared several photos from the event, with permission to use them in our publications. We are incredibly thankful for their generosity and enthusiasm throughout this collaboration.

7. Looking Ahead

This project reaffirmed the power of origami to connect people across cultures and generations. We are grateful to Fox Mill Elementary for giving us the opportunity to share our art in such a meaningful way.

We look forward to future opportunities to support educational and cultural programs that promote Japanese traditions and creativity among young learners in the U.S. and beyond.

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