sen ichi tsuru, a paper project celebrating cultural cornerstones.

I began gifting 1001 origami crane portraits to Japanese American organizations in July 2022.

“I'm fascinated by the ways different generations of people have passed down traditions, changed them, and made them into their own.

The 1001 crane display is one such cultural phenomenon in the Japanese American community.

In preparation of a friend's or relative's wedding, members of the wedding party may get together to fold gold cranes for a special wall display.

(Usually the cranes are formed to create the kanji, or Chinese character, for love or happiness.

Sometimes they are arranged into the family crest.)”

- Naomi Hirahara