With this fourth installment of Kayo美 Kai, JASH is looking to honor those on the front lines fighting COVID-19. To do this, we are turnI got to the origami crane, Japan’s symbol of hope and healing in challenging times.
What is Origami?
Origami is the art of paper-folding. Its name derives from the Japanese words ori (おり) which means to fold and kami/gami (紙；かみ/がみ) which means paper. Traditional origami consists of folding a single sheet of square paper into a figure without cutting, gluing, or taping. A variety of basic origami folds can be combined in different ways to make intricate designs. Origami has been practiced since the Edo period (1603–1867) in Japan before its popularity spread around the world.
Why do people fold cranes?
In Japan, the crane (鶴；つる；pronounced tsu-ru) is a mystical creature that is believed to live for a thousand years.
As a result, the crane represents good fortune and longevity while the wings of the crane were believed to carry souls up to Paradise. The Japanese refer to the crane as the “bird of happiness.”
Traditionally, it was believed that if 1000 origami cranes were folded in a year, one’s hopes would be realized. The senbazaru (千羽鶴), which literally means 1000 cranes, are typically strung together to wish for a long life or a quick recovery from illness or injury. Senbazaru are also used to raise awareness for a cause.
Join JASH and Asia Society Texas Center in folding cranes for our community and contribute to our collective wish for hope, health, and healing. You can make your cranes extra special by using blue paper. #LightItBlue in a show of solidarity for those on the front lines.
Be sure to post images of your cranes on social media using the hashtags #Kayo美Kai and #1000CranesForHope.
Send us your cranes:
We encourage you to send your cranes to JASH. All cranes collected will be delivered along with food to people in need by CrowdSource Rescue Volunteers.
Together, we can share hope and healing through origami.
All cranes should be sent to:
Japan-America Society of Houston
2990 Richmond Ave., Ste 670
Houston, TX 77098
Materials to make a crane:
Paper squares (origami paper is preferred as it is precut; however, printer paper trimmed into a square will work)
How to fold a crane:
Instructions provided by https://en.origami-club.com/traditional/crane/zu.html
Share your cranes by emailing lhurley@jas-hou.org or tag us on social media with #Kayo美Kai.