SENBAZURU, 1000 PAPER CRANES LEGEND Senbazuru is a group of one thousand origami paper cranes held together by strings. An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane, such as long life or recovery from illness or injury. In Japan, it is commonly said that folding 1000 paper origami cranes makes a person's wish come true.