Thank you to Google for its March 14, 2012 Google Doodle that reminded me of Akira Yoshizawa‘s 101st birthday. Though I’ve always enjoyed origami, before today, I never really thought about who inspired its popularity.
Thinking about origami reminded me of a trip my mother, sisters and daughter took to Japan a few years ago.
There, we visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial.
Of course I’d read the history of Hiroshima. But, even six decades later, the vision of what remains of the damage is startling. My first reaction was to deny to myself that our nation could have been responsible for such destruction. But of course, how could I deny it?
As we walked around the memorial site, a group of Japanese boys approached us, and asked if we would let them walk with us and answer any questions we might have about the memorial. It was a part of a school project they said.
At first, it was difficult to communicate, as they knew little English, and we knew even less Japanese. But as we walked around, I was surprised to find how much we were able to communicate with gestures and expresssions.
But we in the U.S. enjoy our violence, and regard cranes as prey:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/24/us/wisconsin-consider-hunting-of-sandhill-crane.html
Now, ed_quixote, don't go bundling all of us Americans together that way.
Reblogged this on Jan Morrill Writes and commented:
In rememberance of the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, I am reblogging this post from March, 2012.
There is a lovely book about Sadako…. http://amzn.to/2vgv1E7
There is also a lovely book about Akira Yoshizawa… http://amzn.to/2vgSULF
A fan of my blog (https://1000cranes.me) sent me a copy!
Thank you for the book suggestions, Ruben! I visited your blog and wish you the best on your beautiful project. I’ve also liked your Facebook page to follow your progress. Best of luck to you!
Only 31 cranes to go! After folding cranes almost daily for almost 1000 days, it is strange to me, now, to have only a handful remaining to fold. I often feel, each day that I do not fold a crane, that I have let slip by an integral part of my daily life. The will be born, of course, and in a place of personal and historical significance. Thank you for following my Facebook page. I hope you enjoy the cranes. Take car.