Mikamuki - or the Japanese art of peeling tangerines
What is Mikamuki? It is the Japanese art of peeling mandarins so that the peel stays in one piece and becomes a figure — a horse, an eagle, a heron — with not a single bit of peel left over or missing. It was invented by Yasuhiro Okada and it is a perfect game for the little ones: all you need is a mandarin and a small knife.
We all know Origami, the Japanese art of folding paper without scissors or glue. But have you ever heard of Mikamuki, the art of peeling mandarins?
Instead of paper, it uses mandarin or orange peels. The Japanese word “Mikan” means mandarin. The inventor of this technique, Yasuhiro Okada, shows how to peel a mandarin with real grace. Eating a mandarin or an orange becomes much more fun: curious figures and animals are born from its peel, turning it into a very creative game. You can also use the peels of other citrus fruits — even avocado or melon.
But it is not that easy: the whole point is to peel the mandarin keeping the peel in one piece, with nothing left over or missing. As in Origami, you must respect this constraint — typical of Japanese art, which often looks for beauty within limits. That is the only rule: the figure must use the entire peel. If a small piece has to be cut off, it must be used elsewhere to keep the harmony.
To cut the figures you only need a mandarin and a small knife or cutter.
Here are some videos showing how funny animals come to life from mandarin and orange peels.
How can I make a horse from a mandarin peel?
If you want to know more about this technique, you can also visit the creator’s website.
As we have seen in other articles, the peel of this delicious fruit is far too valuable to throw away. Besides making figures, you can use it for essential oil or orange powder, among other things.
One important detail for Mikamuki: since the peel gets handled a lot (and the kids end up eating the mandarin), it is best to use fruit without waxes or post-harvest treatments, like our fresh Valencian mandarins — picked the day you order in the orchard our family has farmed since 1917.
Photos from ehonnavi.net and okadas.
