Origami Trivia

Senba-zuru, the Thousand Paper Cranes

The folded paper crane is a well-known origami figure. Probably everybody in Japan has made at least one. According to Japanese tradition, one way to pray for good health is by folding a thousand origami cranes. Sometimes if a person is very sick, his or her friends will work together to fold a thousand cranes and string them on thread into long chains, which they take to the sick friend. Chains of a thousand paper cranes ease pain and sadness and bring hope to people who see them.

Since ancient times, the Japanese have viewed the crane as a symbol of long life and good fortune. Nowadays, when people refer to "a thousand origami cranes," they generally really mean a thousand. Hoever, in the past, the phrase "a thousand origami cranes" referred to a large number of paper cranes; the number did not have to be exactly 1,000.

A book published in the Edo-period (1603-1867) shows how to fold multiple connected cranes with just a single sheet of paper, which is known as renzuru.

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

"Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" is a story told in Japan of a girl who died of leukemia. On August 6, 1945, when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Sasaki Sadako was just two years old. Though the bomb did not kill her and she suffered no immediate injury, she developed leukemia when she was 11 years old. Sadako had heard that a person could make a wish come true by folding a thousand paper cranes. Wishing for good health, Sadako began folding a thousand paper cranes. However, she died at age 12, before her project was completed, and her classmates finished folding cranes for her after she died.

Sadako's classmates also collected donations from schools throughout Japan and used the funds to create a monument to children who had been victims of the atomic bomb. Piles of thousand-crane chains sent by people from all over the world surround the monument. To people everywhere, the story of Sadako has come to symbolize the hope that no child will ever again be killed by an atomic bomb.

Origami Museums

There is an origami museum where you can enjoy delicately made paper art up close. The Tokyo Origami Museum in the city of Sumida houses a permanent exhibition hall displaying origami works, a library collecting books about origami, and a lecture room where origami is taught. It also sells books about origami, unique washi and colorful paper, and a wide range of origami paper. The museum hosts many seminars in its lecture room, with instructors providing lessons about origami works each month.

(Nippon Origami Association)

The Ochanomizu Origami Kaikan is also a museum where you can experience the wondrous appeal of origami. Located in Bunkyo city, Tokyo, it has even been designated a cultural heritage site by the city. In its studio, you can witness how washi is dyed by master artisans. You can also visit various classrooms where washi is used, take part in fun events, or simply enjoy your time interacting with origami. To foreign visitors, we would also like to recommend a classroom that features English-speaking instructors and an origami classroom suited for beginners.

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