Sadako Sasaki was born January 7, 1943; his short life ended on October 25, 1955. When he was two years old, an atom bomb was dropped by the United States in Hiroshima, Japan. Sadako lived near Misasa Bridge in Hiroshima where the bomb was dropped on 6 August 1945. At that time he did not know that he had been the victim of radiation after the bombing.
Sadako is an intelligent, cheerful, energetic child, perhaps the correct term is "pecicilan", until his parents always remind him to sit down for a while. Sadako is very fond of running around. He enjoyed being part of the "relay team" at his school. Until he did not tell anyone that he began to feel dizzy while running. One moment, he fell in front of the teachers, until his parents called to come to school. On February 21, 1955, Sadako started hospitalization. Sadako was diagnosed with leukemia as an atomic bomb. His mother referred to as "atomic bomb disease" (an atomic bomb disease).
In November 1954, grow smallpox in the neck and the back of his ears. In January 1955, a purple dot began to appear on his feet. On February 21, 1955, Sadako had to be hospitalized because the doctor diagnosed Sadako with Leukemia and was sentenced to live for a maximum of one year.
On August 3, 1955, a close friend of Sadako named Chizuko Hamamoto came to visit Sadako at the hospital with a gold paper to make a paper crane, because based on the classical Japanese story, if someone made a thousand paper cranes, his request would be granted. The story goes that Sadako was only able to finish 644 paper cranes before his death, and his companions continued up to 1,000 and buried them all with Sadako's body. Another story from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum states that by the end of August 1955, Sadako had completed 1,000 paper cranes and continued to make more.
Since then Sadako started to make a paper crane to ask for healing for him. The strand of paper crane is hung above the bed with a thread. Although Sadako had plenty of time in the hospital to fold the stork, he ran out of paper. He also uses medicine wrappings and anything he can pick up. She went to another patient's room to ask for scrap paper for the visitors who came to visit the patient. Chizuko also brought him a paper. Sadako wanted to fold 1000 storks, but alas, she could only fold 644 before dying to pick her up.
Sadako's condition deteriorated drastically, leaving both his parents and siblings sad to see him dying. His mother made a kimono patterned with cherry blossoms so he could wear them before he died. At that time Sadako felt his condition improved so he was allowed to go home for a few days. Sadako befriends a boy named Kenji, an orphan, who also suffers from leukemia but is already in an advanced stage. Kenji has been affected by radiation since he was in his mother's womb. Sadako tries to give Kenji hope with the golden crane story, but Kenji is aware of the fact that his time is near. His mother had already died, and he had learned how to read his blood charts and already knew that he was in a state of dying. While at home While at the hospital, Sadako watched with his own eyes of Kenji's death, and he was devastated. Sadako knew that his turn was coming soon.
After his family forced him to eat something, Sadako asked for green tea and commented "It's good." That sentence was his last sentence. Surrounded by his family, Sadako died on October 25, 1955 at the age of 12 years. His friends completed the construction of the remaining paper crane until it had collected 1000 storks and buried it with Sadako's body.
After the death of Sadako, his friends published a collection of letters to raise funds to be used to build a memorial for Sadako and all the children who died from the effects of the atomic bomb. In 1958 a statue of Sadako holding a golden stork stands in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, the Japanese called it the Genbaku Dome. At the foot of the statue is an inscription that reads:
"This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace on Earth. "
("This is our cry, this is our prayer, peace is on earth").
In Seattle Peace Park there is also a statue of Sadako. Sadako has become a symbol of the impact of nuclear war, reminiscent of how dangerous nuclear war is. Sadako also became a hero for girls in Japan. The story of his life is told in Japanese schools when commemorating the Hiroshima bombings. In dedication to her, the Japanese people celebrate August 6 as National Peace Day.
Sadako's story became famous among school students outside Japan as it was written into a novel. The Day of the Bomb was written by Austrian writer Karl Bruckner. Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes first published in 1977 was written by Eleanor Coerr. Robert Jungk also wrote the Children of the Ashes, in it also written the story of Sadako. Every year, thousands of paper cranes are delivered by children and adults from all over the world to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The crane is a symbol of hope for a better future of peace without suffering.
The story of Sadako can be a reminder to us what happens due to war especially if a country chooses to use nuclear weapons.
The heron in Japan is one of mystical or sacred creatures (other than dragons and turtles) believed to live thousands of years. Thousand Origami Cranes (千 羽 鶴, Senbazuru) is a string of thousand origami paper cranes that are joined together with the thread. There is an ancient Japanese legend that is said to promise that anyone who can fold a thousand hero origami will be rewarded "WISH" by the heron, such as long life, recovering from illness.
So Senbazuru became a popular wedding gift for family and special friends. The giver hopes the bride gets a thousand years of happiness and prosperity. Can also as a gift for newborns to live long and get lucky. Hanging Senbazuru at home is considered to bring good luck. Some also use as matchmaking charm for Japanese girls when they are 16 years old. The girl will make 1000 storks to give to the jaka who admired him.