1000 Wish Cranes

What are cranes?

Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds.
They fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back.
Cranes live on all continents
except Antarctica and South America.

What are the wish cranes?

Its an origami shape. Simply, we take a square shaped
piece of paper and fold it in different directions to have the
shape of a crane. The Japanese believe if they make a
thousand paper cranes, their highest wish will come true.

Why cranes and not any other bird?

In Japan, It is believed that cranes can live for a thousand years. As a result,
they represent good fortune and longevity. The Japanese refer to cranes as
the bird of happiness.

What is the story behind Wish Cranes?

Once upon a time in a city called Hiroshima, a little girl called Sadako lived
happily with her family. As an infant, Sadako was exposed to radiation from
the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. Years later, the girl was
diagnosed with leukemia by the age of 12. She decided to fold 1000 cranes,
hoping that her dream to live would come true. Unfortunately, she only was
able to fold 644 cranes before she passed away. Her classmates then
continued to fold cranes in her honour and she was buried with a wreath of
1000 cranes in her honour. There is now a statue of Sadako in Hiroshima
Peace Park and every year thousands of crane wreaths are dropped over her
statue.

Source: http://www.jccc.on.ca/origamicranes/pdf/meaning_of_the_origami_crane.pdf