To reproduce "Sadako's paper cranes" May 19th, 12:38

A folded paper crane that was folded until just before the girl who was bombed in Hiroshima died of illness.

There are still 120 birds, but the paper is deteriorating.

A project is underway to reproduce this folded paper crane with the latest technology.

I followed the activity that started with "I want to convey my feelings for peace to posterity."

(Hiroshima Broadcasting Station Fukuyama Branch Reporter Yusuke Goto)

Deterioration of paper cranes

The girl is Sadako Sasaki, who became the model for the Children's Peace Monument in Hiroshima Peace Park.

On August 6, 76 years ago, I was exposed at my home 1.6 km from the hypocenter.

Although he was not injured at the time, he developed leukemia 10 years later and died at the age of 12.

Sadako, who was in the hospital, continued to fold paper cranes in hopes of recovery while fighting against her illness.

Origami cranes have become known all over the world as a "symbol of wishing for peace."

Sadako is said to have folded 1,600 cranes on her sickbed using candy and medicine wrapping paper, but currently there are about 120 cranes left.

Sadako's family has donated these paper cranes to museums in Japan and overseas, including the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, in order to help convey peace.

However, more than 60 years have passed, and Sadako's older brother Masahiro Sasaki (79) had a strong sense of crisis about the progress of "paper deterioration."

Masahiro Sasaki

"For many years, we have been working to deliver origami cranes to where we need them in the world, but we can't send them anywhere and we can't store them permanently. We're starting to feel the limits of our activities."

Technology to reproduce realistically

Under these circumstances, there is a company that proposed to reproduce the folded paper cranes with metal under his brother Masahiro.

It is a precision parts manufacturer "Castem" in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture.

We have strengths in our unique casting technology, and we handle parts that require high precision, from aircraft and railroad vehicles to gastrocameras.

However, as price competition with other companies becomes fierce year by year, we have been making metal figurines and key chains for five years in order to be involved in product manufacturing.

So far, I've made boxing world champion fists and castle shachihoko.

Its realism has been evaluated for its faithful reproduction of even the smallest details such as blood vessels and wrinkles.

It is said that some employees who felt the response said, "As a company that grew up in Hiroshima and is in Hiroshima, I want to use this technology to help convey peace."

Mr. Ikeda

"I have limited opportunities to see Sadako's paper cranes up close, and I can't even touch them. If I could reproduce the paper cranes with metal and have many people pick them up, then I thought it would be an opportunity to get interested in what happened and think about peace. "

Sticking to the texture of paper

In January, Mr. Masahiro entrusted me with a paper crane with a width of about 1.5 cm, and the project started.

Is it possible to reproduce the warmth of Sadako, who can feel the texture, creases, and wrinkles of paper from folded paper cranes?

It was the first challenge for a company to reproduce such a small and thin material.

The first thing I did was to grasp the shape of the folded paper crane accurately.

We read from all angles, front, back, left and right by 3D scanning, and collected a number of three-dimensional data.

Since there are some parts that are difficult to read due to shadows, we joined together multiple data to bring out the roughness and fine irregularities on the surface of the paper.

Next, based on this data, we will use a 3D printer to create a prototype for pouring metal.

However, because it was too thin, there were holes in the wings and the tip was deformed, so I couldn't make a good shape.

We searched for improvements by changing the type of machine and making it one size larger.

Furthermore, in 3D printers that create shapes by gradually stacking layers from the bottom, the stacked layers = stacking have a great effect on the texture of the surface, so the place to start making is gradually angled to the head, wings, and tail. I repeated the trial production while changing.

There are over 50 prototypes.

In the process of making it, Mr. Ikeda sometimes wondered if it would make sense to reproduce paper paper cranes with a completely different material.

That is why I was particular about expressing the fine texture of paper.

Mr. Ikeda

"The folded paper cranes are small but have creases very firmly. I wanted to make something that conveys how I felt while fighting illness. I repeatedly wondered if there was a better way. I did my best to have the technology

Delivering the feelings of peace

It took more than two months to finally complete the prototype.

Mr. Masahiro, an older brother who lives in Fukuoka prefecture who picked up the prototype ...

Masahiro Sasaki

"It's a wonderful word. I felt that the paper cranes that Sadako broke were really revived. I think you can receive Sadako's thoughts regardless of the material. The transmission of peace is made of metal. I think we can do it from origami cranes enough and forever. "

The creases and wrinkles were clearly reproduced, and when I could see the traces that Sadako touched, Masahiro also gave me a taiko stamp.

The company decides to sell this folded paper crane as a key chain or accessory.

Most of the sales are donated to lead to peace efforts.

More than 75 years have passed since the atomic bombing, and the aging of the atomic bomb survivors has made it difficult to hear testimony directly every year.

In addition, the number of people visiting Hiroshima has dropped sharply due to the effects of the new coronavirus.

Under these circumstances, I hope that the person who picks up the reborn paper crane will come into contact with Sadako's thoughts and become an opportunity to think about peace.

Hiroshima Broadcasting Station Reporter

Yusuke Goto

Joined in 2012 After working at Saitama Station and Kagoshima Station, from the summer of 2020, Fukuyama Branch