Announcement: Blanket Permission to Fold and Teach Shuzo Fujimoto’s Models (Non-Commercial Use only)

Hands holding Shuzo Fujimoto’s Hydrangea

Since some folders have recently been asking me how to get permission to teach Shuzo Fujimoto’s models at origami conventions, I approached his heirs and asked if they could grant a blanket permission to everyone in order to make getting permission more convenient. They agreed, and his son, Hitoshi Fujimoto, sent me the following statement in an e-mail on 2024-06-16:

As you suggest, my sister and I would like to give blanket permission to any origami folder who would like to use my father’s work. （Non-profit activities ONLY）

I am sure my father, Shuzo would be pleased if this would make his work known to as many people as possible.

Therefore, if you want to teach Shuzo Fujimoto’s models at an origami convention, feel free to do so without having to explicitly ask. Please also honor the heirs’ wish and do ask for permission in case of commercial use.

I hope this permission will benefit the origami community and help make Shuzo Fujimoto’s work even more widely known.

Update: Ilan Garibi got the same kind of blanket permission some time earlier, a fact I was not aware of.

Update 2: I clarified the case of commercial use, and in this case Hitoshi Fujimoto said he would not give permission for commercial use of Shuzo Fujimoto’s designs on principle: origami should be for everyone and not done for profit. He sent me the following information on 2024-06-30:

Although my father always wanted to spread his origami to many people around the world, he was never in origami for profit. I would like to respect his wishes. Thank you for your understanding.

with the following clarification on 2024-07-02:

I appreciate your understanding. Your understanding is correct. I will not give you permission to use my father’s origami in any commercial activity. The reason is as I stated in my previous email. You may use Shuzo Fujimoto’s origami without my permission in your non-commercial activities to promote origami and for educational purposes. I would like to make it a general rule.