May 5th: Origami Cranes' favorite Day

Origami had discreetly made its way into a Japanese national holiday. Every May 5^th, origami cranes mark a symbol of hope for children.

The Beginning

It all started with a girl named Sadako Sasaki. She was born on January 7^th, 1943 during World War II. On August 6^th, 1945 Hiroshima was bombed and Sadako and her family had experienced the shock in their home by Misasa Bridge in Hiroshima. While her father was out to war; she along with her mother and older brother were the only ones in their family that survived the ordeal.

Years passed and Sadako lived a healthy, normal life, until she reached the age of 12. In February 1955 Sadako was admitted into the Hospital and was told that she only had a year left to live because she had leukemia.

Around 5 month after her admittance into the hospital a fellow leukemia patient died. Sadako then decided to start putting her hopes in the thousand paper crane wish. It has said that a person who wishes for something as they fold one thousand paper cranes their wish would come true. Sadako then made it her mission to fold cranes to wish for her health. As time went on Sadako’s health only worsened, so putting her needs aside she started wish for world peace. She finished her thousand cranes and went on to folding more until she died.

At the age of 12 on October 25th, 1955 Sadako died.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial

 

The children in Sadako’s class felt heavy after her death. At first they wanted to make a gravestone for her so they could visit it. Then the idea escalated to a monument in Hiroshima Peace Park to not only commemorate her, but all children whose lives have been affected by atomic bombings.

The class then began fundraising to build this monument. News about it spread throughout Japan and more than 3000 school sent money for their cause. They began building the monument in January 1957. On May 5^th 1958, Japan’s Children’s Day, the monument was completed. It was of Sadako raising a paper crane to the heavens in hopes that no more children will fall victim to atomic bombs. Inscribed on the monument it reads:

“This is our cry

This is our prayer

For building peace in the world.”

From this day on, Paper cranes have been a symbol of Children’s hope for world peace.

Children’s Day, today

Now every Children’s Day thousands of paper cranes not only from around Japan, but from around the world are sent to the Hiroshima Peace Park in hopes that world peace can and will be achieved.