The crane stands for longevity, health, and graceful dignity, and because cranes pair for life, it also blesses lasting marriages. A folded crane carries hopes of recovery, wishes granted, and peace.
In East Asia the crane is a creature of legend said to live a thousand years, painted and embroidered for centuries as an emblem of long life. Japan holds the tradition of senbazuru — folding one thousand paper cranes to make a wish come true — and through the story of Sadako Sasaki, the Hiroshima girl of 1955, the paper crane also became a worldwide symbol of peace.
The crane stands for longevity, health, and graceful dignity, and because cranes pair for life, it also blesses lasting marriages. A folded crane carries hopes of recovery, wishes granted, and peace.
A thousand folded cranes are given at hospital bedsides, before exams, and at weddings, each string carrying an earnest wish. Crane motifs in art and embroidery still grace homes to invite long life and harmony.