About Senbazuru

In 1797 in Japan, the first book containing a description of how to fold origami was published. The book was entitled Hiden Senbazuru Orikati, or "The Secret of 1000 Cranes Origami", and Senbazuru translates to "One Thousand Cranes" in English.

Cranes have been a symbol of health and longevity in Japan since ancient times, and legend has it that whoever folds 1000 origami cranes is pleasing to the gods and will be granted their heart's desire.

Sadako Sasaki was a girl born in 1943 in Hiroshima. In 1945, a nuclear bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Sadako was one of the survivors. For ten years she thrived and grew, participating in athletic events at her school.

Ten years after the bombing in 1955, when Sadako was twelve, she became sick and ended up in the hospital. She was diagnosed with leukemia.

There were many people diagnosed with leukemia as an effect of the radiation they were exposed to in the bombing. On August 3, 1955, a large package of multicolored cranes was sent to the hospital to encourage the patients.

Sadako was inspired by the cranes and began folding her own. She finished 1000 cranes before the end of August and strung them up all over her hospital room. The cranes for Sadako were a symbol of her desire to live.

Sadako passed away from her illness in October 1955, but her experience inspired a memorial and people from all over the world folding cranes as a symbol of their desire for world peace and no more atomic weapons.

The Japanese legend and the story of Sadako has touched me. I believe that the act of doing something repetitive with your hands, like folding cranes or holding rosary beads or other activities serves as a way to aid meditation, to focus one's thoughts or to aid prayer.

I am going to begin folding cranes for my friend Ellen, a dear woman who has had to give up her job as a teacher because of health problems related to metastatic renal cell cancer. I will think of her and say prayers as I fold.

Ellen has many friends, as befits a woman as wonderful and compassionate as she is. I would be honored if any of you would like to help with this project, I will collect the cranes and send them to her when we have 1000, along with your prayers and well wishes.

If you are interested in participating, please leave me a comment and I will get back to you with more details.

Please check the links in the sidebar for more information about Sadako's story and for instructions on how to fold an orgami crane.

And please check back for progress reports.