Two of the oldest Japan books about origamy tell how to make a figure of crane (Tsuru), of the list of paper. There is a special art of folding paper into different birds and animals. But a crane, a bird with a long neck, was considered in China and Japan to be a symbol of luck and long and happy life. In 1797 in Kioto the book “Sembatsuru Orikata” (Thousand Paper Cranes Folding) was published. There you can read about different ways of folding pairs and garlands of cranes from one square list of paper.

The World War II has given a new meaning for an ancient tradition....

A girl from Hirosima, Sadako Sasaki had leukemia. She became ill after the atomic bombardment of her native town.When Sadako was at the hospital she was making paper cranes. The legend says that if you want your wish to fulfill, you have to make thousand of cranes. Sadako was folding the paper figures and prayed for peace and happiness. The doctor told her that when the millesimal crane was made she would become healthy. Sadako could make only 644 paper cranes...

Children and grown-ups of all countries send to the monument of the small Japan girl millions of their paper cranes....