ORIGAMI HELP CARD
A foldable paper card that speaks for you when you cannot.
ORIGAMI HELP CARD is a foldable paper emergency information card that enables people with invisible disabilities, chronic conditions, or communication difficulties to share essential medical and support information instantly with first responders, hospital staff, and people around them.
A symbol can say “I need help.” But it cannot say “here’s what to do.” ORIGAMI HELP CARD closes that gap — using an ISO 7001 accessibility symbol and ICD-11-based medical information in a simple, dignified paper-folding format that people can carry and use with confidence.
Background
The nationwide awareness and distribution effort began in 2016, following the Kumamoto earthquake, when audio-only shelter announcements left deaf evacuees unable to receive essential supplies such as food and water.
Since then, the project has grown into a nationwide volunteer effort, with distribution reaching all 47 Japanese prefectures and more than 250,000 cards to date.
In 2025, during the creator’s own emergency transport, the card she carried was used by emergency responders to pass her medical information directly to hospital staff, demonstrating its practical value in a real emergency.
Design Philosophy: Quiet Confidence
ORIGAMI HELP CARD is designed to be carried with pride, not reluctance — a personal information interface, not a marker of vulnerability.
Status
Design Registration No. 1605847 (Japan).
The physical version has been developed and used in real-world settings over 10 years. A digital layer using QR/NFC technology is currently in active development for international use.
Contact
Team SHIBUYA · ORIGAMI HELP CARD
Michiyo Shibuya
skarttokyo@gmail.com