About 1000 Cranes – the original story

The original 1000 cranes story began in Japan when Sadako Sasaki, a girl from Hiroshima, Japan developed leukemia as a result of radiation fallout after the atomic bomb was dropped.  Sadako’s friend told her a Japanese legend which claims that anyone who folds 1000 paper cranes will have a wish granted. Sadako started to fold origami cranes hoping to be granted a wish for good health but she died in 1955 and it is unclear whether she reached her goal. Some stories say that she folded 644 and her friends completed the remainder and buried her with them.

Since then the story has spread throughout the world and the paper crane has become a symbol of peace. Sadako's story triggered a campaign to build a monument in Hiroshima to pray for world peace and the Children's Peace Monument in Peace Park, Hiroshima is now a focus for school children when visiting the park. Around 10 million cranes are offered to the monument each year.The story of Sadako was also written into a classic book by Eleanor Coerr and has been made into a film as well. Numerous projects and initiatives have been based on this wonderful story which is often used in school education programs about peace.

To read more about the story visit http://www.city.hiroshima.jp/shimin/heiwa/crane.html