Tomoko Fuse (布施 知子 Fuse Tomoko born 1951) is a Japanese origami writer and artist who has written many books on the subject of modular origami and is by many considered to be the master of unit origami and one of the pre-eminent living Japanese Origami Masters.[1]
She has designed many modular boxes and containers, kusudama, paper toys, masks, and modular polyhedra and other geometric objects, and is one of the most prolific origami authors in the world, with many publications in Japanese, Korean and English. She was born in Niigata and now lives with her husband Taro, a respected woodblock printmaker and etcher, in a hillside village in rural Nagano prefecture, Japan.
Fuse first learned origami while in hospital as a child. When she was 19 years old, she studied for 2½ years with origami master Toyoaki Kawai. She started publishing origami books in 1981, and has since published more than 60 books (plus overseas editions) as of September 2005[update].
Tomoko Fuse revolutionised the art of origami. her pure talent led her to success in 1997 when she was awarded an award for artist of the year for her classic model, The Modular Star.
Unit Origami: Multidimensional Transformations, the English language edition of her seminal modular origami inventions, may be considered the classic text on modular origami available in the English language.
In English:
Unit Origami: Multidimensional Transformation Japan Publications April 1990, ISBN 978-0870408526
Floral Origami Globes (New Kusudama) Japan Publications Trading May 18, 2007, ISBN 978-4889962130
Fabuluous Origami Boxes Japan Publications, July 1998 ISBN 978-0870409783
Origami Rings & Wreaths: A Kaleidoscope of 28 Decorative Origami Creations Japan Publications Trading, Nov 2007 ISBN 978-4889962239
Kusudama Origami Japan Publications, Sep 2002, ISBN 978-4889960877
Quick and Easy Origami Boxes Japan Publications 1994, ISBN O-87040-939-5
In Japanese:
Easy Origami to Enliven Your Life (Kurashi o Irodoru Raku Raku no Origami) Ishizue Publishers (July 1996), ISBN 978-4900747104