In May 2025, at the Blue Gallery in New York (222 E 46th St), the record label launch event “Ignition25” took place.

On stage, composer and saxophonist Patrick Zimmerli led an ensemble in a performance of his latest album, Songs of Innocence.
The group featured world-renowned musicians including Chris Tordini (bass), Theo Bleckmann (vocals), and Satoshi Takeishi (percussion).
Amidst the harmony of sound and artistry, a limited-edition CD package inspired by origami was exhibited and made available for purchase.

That special design was created by Taro’s Origami Studio.

The Beginning of the Project

This collaboration began with a message from Patrick Zimmerli:
“I’d like to incorporate origami into the CD jacket for my new album.”

In response, Taro Yaguchi, founder of Taro’s Origami Studio, proposed something bold and simple:
“If so, why not make the CD jacket itself origami?”

From that idea emerged a design based on “tato,” an ancient Japanese folding form developed by Buddhist monks more than 400 years ago.
Traditionally used to wrap documents or gifts, the tato is a form that gives meaning to the act of wrapping itself.
This concept deeply resonated with the spirit of the album—protecting and conveying something precious through form—and gave birth to a new art form: “origami that wraps sound.”

The Process of Design and Creation

Creating this piece required balancing traditional origami with modern printing technology.
Every detail—from paper thickness and fold precision to the placement of the foam hub and the tying of ribbons—was refined through countless experiments.
Using a Cricut cutting machine, the team repeatedly tested scoring accuracy, adjusting paper types and lamination to preserve both structural integrity and elegance.
Preventing cracks in the printed surface demanded true craftsmanship—a fusion of art and engineering.

The finished origami jacket possesses both three-dimensional form and subtle shine,
giving new meaning to the act of wrapping music itself.

The Meeting of Music and Origami

Songs of Innocence explores themes of purity, rebirth, and inner freedom.
Origami, too, is an art of transformation—where a single sheet of paper is reborn as something new through folding.
Though born from different disciplines, music and origami share the same creative spirit.

“The endless flow of creativity exists within each of us.”
— Taro Yaguchi

Just as this quote suggests, creativity flows across boundaries—
and in this project, sound and form came together in harmony.

The Presentation at Ignition25

The origami CD package made its debut at Ignition25,
the launch event for Patrick Zimmerli’s new label Emergence Music Productions (EMP).
At the Blue Gallery, origami and music resonated together,
allowing the audience to experience art not only with their ears but also with their eyes.
It was a night where sound, paper, structure, and emotion intertwined—
a moment when music itself became origami.

Reflections on the Project

Through this collaboration, Taro’s Origami Studio rediscovered the profound expressive potential of origami.
Origami is not merely the art of folding paper—it is a design language that wraps and conveys culture, thought, and emotion.
The act of “wrapping music,” an intangible art form, through origami was itself a symbolic gesture of care and creativity.

As we move forward, we at Taro’s Origami Studio will continue to bridge the worlds of art, craft, and design—
expanding into new forms of “wrapping design,” including packaging, enclosures, and spatial installations.
Exploring new possibilities for origami and sharing them with the world—
that is our studio’s mission.

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