There are often Japanese terms and phrases used by sellers to describe the type of origami paper being offered for sale. This is a list intended to help translate and to make your choices easier. Please keep in mind that I am not a writer, so bear with me as I supply this information and continue to update the data. Thanks.

Here are some of the basics which you will see often.

1. gami, kami and shi are all Japanese terms used when referring to paper.

2. Chiyogami- simply means, paper with brightly colored prints. I have seen sellers offer solid color sheets and calling it chiyogami. I don't think they are dishonest, but I would question their product knowledge.

3. Washi- Wa means Japanese and shi means paper. Therefore this is Japanese made paper. This does not mean the paper is handmade. I would read the item descriptions carefully or be sure to ask the seller if it is handmade or not.

4. Unryu- cloud dragon. This paper has fibers which are visible and float (like clouds)throughout the sheet . The fibers give this paper added strength and dimension. Very Elegant and highly recommended.

5. Momi- Also called Momigami or crumpled paper. This paper has a crumpled texture. It is literally crumpled up and then flattened yet the crease lines remain. A rustic or distressed look that works for many applications. I used this type of paper to decoupage a vase and it worked very well.  

6. Aizome- Ai means indigo and zome means dyeing. This paper is infamous for the beautiful blue and white designs. There are prints with some pink tones and once in a while you'll be fortunate to come across gold highlighted prints.

7. Chirimen- Is a crinkled ,crepe like paper.  It's not stretchy like crepe - just similar in the surface texture.

8. Shinwazome- The designs on this paper are outlined in a white embossing ink.  The outlining creates a great texture and gives  the overall design an added dimension.The paper is usually a heavier weight then chiyogami.

9. Hana- Means flower or petal.

This is all I have time for now. I will be updating this list so please stop back. Should you have any specific questions you would like addressed please feel free to ask. I'll do my best to get the information for you.