MONKIRI: Wagara Pattern Maker

In Edo-period Japan, people loved a simple pastime called monkiri asobi, the art of the cut crest. Fold a sheet of paper, cut along a template, and gently open it. A beautiful pattern appears on the paper, and until it unfolds, no one knows exactly what it will look like. That small moment of surprise and delight was the heart of the game. MONKIRI brings that spirit of play to your fingertips. Every tap of the generate button reveals a new traditional Japanese pattern, dressed in harmonious palettes drawn from Japan's traditional colors. Keep the ones you love as wallpapers, or fine-tune every detail yourself. WHAT YOU CAN DO - Generate: Pick a pattern and tap. MONKIRI randomizes each design within carefully tuned traditional color harmonies, so every result comes out beautiful. - Adjust: Fine-tune colors, scale, line width, spacing and density, rotation, and background color with sliders. Changes preview instantly. - Collect: Save your favorite creations, then re-edit, duplicate, or delete them anytime. - Export: Save wallpapers as PNG, sized for your device's screen with one tap. TWELVE TRADITIONAL PATTERNS Each pattern comes with a short note on its meaning and history, in both English and Japanese. - Asanoha (hemp leaf): healthy growth and protection - Seigaiha (blue ocean waves): endless calm waves, a wish for eternal peace - Shippo (seven treasures): interlocking circles of harmony and good relations - Kikko (tortoise shell): hexagons of longevity - Ichimatsu (checkerboard): unbroken prosperity - Yagasuri (arrow feathers): an arrow released never returns, a symbol of moving forward - Uroko (fish scales): triangles believed to ward off misfortune - Tatewaku (rising steam): swelling lines of rising fortune - Sayagata (interlocking manji): continuity without end - Kagome (basket weave): six-pointed stars, a traditional charm against evil - Sankuzushi (scattered rods): a chic pattern of shifting lines - Ajiro (wickerwork): the warm texture of woven cypress and bamboo FREE FEATURES AND ONE-TIME PURCHASE Everything above is free: generate, adjust, and save every pattern, and export standard-size wallpaper PNGs (with a light watermark). Wallpaper size optimization is free as well. A single one-time purchase unlocks: - Watermark-free export - Ultra-high-resolution PNG (4096 x 4096), large enough for print - SVG (vector) export that scales without any loss, for design and print work - Seamless tile PNG whose edges connect perfectly, for repeating backgrounds No subscription. No further purchases. MADE TO BE TRUSTED - No ads, no tracking - No account required - Works completely offline (iCloud sync is optional) - English and Japanese, following your device settings or switchable in the app - Dark mode support - Designed for both iPhone and iPad The quiet thrill of a pattern emerging from a folded sheet of paper, now in your pocket. Enjoy the beauty of Japanese patterns with MONKIRI.