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Buoyed by the success of her book on Japanese-inspired gift wrapping, Sonoma resident Megumi Lorna Inouye will be offering two related workshops for adults of all skill levels in Sonoma during the next few weeks.
Inouye, the author of “The Soul of Gift Wrapping: Creative Techniques for Expressing Gratitude, Inspired by the Japanese Art of Giving,” will offer “Japanese Gift Wrapping,” a workshop at Sonoma Valley Museum of Art on Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. It costs $65 for SVMA members and $85 for nonmembers. Advanced registration is required.at https://svma.org.
She will also lead “Handcrafted for the Holidays: Origami Boxes & More,” a workshop at Sonoma Community Center on Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. A $40 registration fee and $10 materials fee are required. To register, go to https://sonomacommunitycenter.org.
Both workshops will draw from her book on gift wrapping. As a first-time author, she never expected it to receive prestigious honors such as a Best Life+Style award from the Library Journal in 2024 and a Silver Winner in Creativity & Innovation in the Nautilus Book Awards in 2025.
“I’m still trying to process it,” Inouye said. “The Library Journal is one of the most respected voices in the literary world, and its reviewers are librarians who have always held a special place in my heart. Growing up in an age before the internet, librarians were my childhood guides to information and resources.
“To know that my book was read, understood and valued by those I deeply admire means more than I can fully express.”
The book also earned the fourth spot in the Sonoma Index Tribune’s list of 2024 Nonfiction Best Sellers.
“What a joyful surprise to be included in the list!” Inouye said. “It’s humbling to be listed under Amy Tan!”
In the book, Inouye draws on the gift-giving traditions of her Japanese heritage to convey how the act of giving a thoughtfully wrapped gift can be a creative, caring act for both the giver and the receiver. She provided detailed, step-by-step instructions for every aspect of gift wrapping.
A second printing of the book has been issued and a paperback version is scheduled to be published in fall 2026.
Inouye worked on the book in isolation in Sonoma during the pandemic.
“I don’t think I could have written it anyplace else,” she said. “The breathtaking early morning mist hovering over the beautiful Mayacamas and Sonoma mountains put me in a state of deep reflection. I’m so extremely grateful to the community of neighbors, friends, retailers and organizations here in Sonoma that have been supportive and a big part of my book journey.”
Inouye has been moved while observing how deeply the book has touched some children.
Last spring, a young girl travelled with her mother all the way from the South Bay to meet Inouye at a workshop at the SingleThread Farm store in Healdsburg.
“She called my book her ‘big girl book.’” Inouye said. “She had stickers and her writing throughout the pages, reflecting her creativity and engagement. It really touched me in a way that I can’t describe.”
In summer 2024, Inouye supported a camp at Pets Lifeline in Sonoma during which children folded origami hearts and wrote stories of gratitude.
“I still think about the stories the children shared as they wrote—about who they were grateful for and why,” she said. “When I asked them what ‘gratitude’ meant, their answers were so simple and true, including ‘It’s showing kindness’ and ‘It’s love.’”
During her “Japanese Gift Wrapping” workshop at Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, she will begin and end with a short reading from the book and integrate a talk throughout the event, accompanied by a slide show that provides examples.
“In Japanese gift wrapping, the wrapping is not just a decorative element, but a meaningful part of the gift itself,” Inouye said. “In Japanese tradition, the way we wrap reflects our intention—our gratitude, our care, our relationship with the person receiving the gift. The folds, the choice of paper, the simplicity of design all carry a quiet symbolism.”
She plans to teach practical wrapping techniques inspired by Japanese folds as she instructs participants how to wrap a books and gift cards, fold handmade boxes and make simple bands and pleats as embellishments.
“Channeling ancient practices, no tape will be used,” Inouye said. “But more importantly, we will explore how elements of care and consideration are embedded in the wrapping process.”
She said that in Japanese traditions, even the smallest folds and pleats are a language of care, respect and gratitude passed down through generations.
“What excites me most is exploring this together with participants and seeing how each person brings their own story and intention to the practice,” she said. “My own approach blends Japanese influences with my American experiences, allowing the tradition to evolve in a personal way that is applicable to my own life.”
Inouye hopes that participants will leave the workshop not only with new skills and beautiful packages, but also with an appreciation for how this simple ritual can be meaningful and nurturing, both to oneself and others.
“In the inspiring setting of the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, with the powerful backdrop of the Dorothea Lange exhibition, my hope is that participants will have a moment to slow down and engage with a mindful, creative process—to explore how gratitude can be expressed through the act of wrapping.”
Her “Handcrafted for the Holidays: Origami Boxes & More” event will mark the fourth time she has offered a workshop at Sonoma Community Center.
“In this workshop, I will teach how to make all the boxes featured in my book — square box, two rectangular boxes (one modern and one traditional) and a cube box—along with showing how to embellish in different ways, utilizing everyday materials and clippings from nature,” Inouye said. “I hope this can be helpful and inspiring for the upcoming holidays.”
She said that origami can sometimes feel overwhelming, with various steps of folding required, but that with a little initial guidance, people find that it’s actually easy to make a box.
“And once learned, people get addicted,” she said. “I was over at a neighbor’s house whose front entrance table is strewn with boxes made from her favorite papers, ready to be used whenever.”
She said that it was a revolutionary discovery for her to learn that the ancient practice of gift wrapping in Japan—which extends back as far as the Heian era (794 to 1185)—preceded and inspired origami.
“Unlike gift wrapping as we know it today, where the objective is to cover our gifts, wrapping involved knowing a variation of predetermined folded forms and structures to enclose gifts or offerings,” Inouye said. “This was a ‘lightbulb moment’ for me, opening up a world of creative possibilities for wrapping gifts: Making an origami box was actually a form of gift wrapping!”
So, she started to look for ways to incorporate origami into her gift wrapping.
“There is something comforting about knowing that with any square piece of paper, you can fold it into sections, make deep creases in the right places, following the ancient tried and true instructions—with each fold thoughtfully designed for a purpose leading to the next step—and be absolutely assured that a box will eventually emerge to contain and wrap your gift,” Inouye said. “It has become a savior and my go-to wrapping solution.”
At Sonoma Community Center, she will integrate historical context and the meaning behind origami, but the class will essentially be hands-on, with participants focused on learning the techniques of making boxes of different shapes.
“I hope the participants will leave feeling confident in their ability to make their own boxes and experience the joy of having this skill—to make a box whenever they need to,” she said. “But there also is an element of fun and creativity in making box a gift in itself by utilizing a variety of paper material options, making if feel personal to you and the recipient.”
Inouye thoroughly enjoys teaching people how to make origami boxes and takes special delight the moment their simple pieces of paper transform into three-dimensional boxes.
“It’s such an uplifting feeling and I love to see the excitement in people’s faces as they experience the fulfilling joy of having made something useful out of two single sheets of paper,” she said. “I’m still in awe of the ancient wisdom inherent in each fold and step, designed so thoughtfully.”
Amid increasing global and national uncertainty, Inouye finds refuge in the simple act of wrapping and folding paper.
“When the world feels chaotic, and art of wrapping reminds me that we can choose to slow down, offer care, be kind, create beauty and express our gratitude in tangible ways,” she said. “The act of wrapping can become a gift offering—a gesture of presence and intention.
“My hope is that in sharing this practice, it helps us reconnect with our humanity, offering a grounding, creative shelter—an invitation to breathe, to feel, and to create and give from one’s heart.”
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