DES MOINES, Iowa — Over 1,000 origami cranes made by Iowans will be displayed during the Iowa State Fair to honor Iowa’s sister-state relationship with Yamanashi, Japan.

The Cranes of Friendship Project was organized by the Japan America Society of Iowa (JASI). It started after an Iowa delegate visited Yamanashi, Japan, last year. He was gifted 1,000 cranes to bring back to Iowa.

In return, JASI wanted to do something special in honor of the 65th anniversary of their sister-state relationship. In Japanese culture, 1,000 cranes are made when people want to celebrate something.

JASI’s Executive Director, Yoko Tanaka, started holding workshops across the state at different high schools, colleges, organizations, and even people’s homes. During these workshops, she teaches Iowans how to make origami cranes and gets them involved in the project.

Her most recent workshop was held at the Zen Center in Des Moines, where 14 participants made 80 origami cranes.

JASI has already exceeded its goal and made over 1,100 cranes.

“I was not sure if I could make it all the way to 1,000 at the beginning of the project and I was thinking, if I couldn’t make it then I have to take care of the rest of it,” said Tanaka.

She said she will continue to host workshops for people to be involved in the project. Their new goal is to have as many cranes as possible.

Tanaka will soon start to thread all of the cranes together.

“Making the cranes is one thing, [but] threading them is going to be another daunting task,” she said,

A Japanese company based outside of Cedar Falls, Iowa makes fermented thread and they are gifting one spool of this thread for JASI to complete the display.

The finished product will be on display during the Iowa State Fair in the 4-H Building. Tanaka will also hold a crane-making workshop in the 4-H Building on August 15.

Tanaka will soon hold workshops in Muscatine and Sioux City, showing that she travels anywhere in the state from as far east as Muscatine to as far west as Sioux City.

Iowans can schedule a workshop by emailing info@japaniowa.org.