The folding of one thousand origami cranes is a Japanese precatory tradition derived from ancient folklore. In Japan, the crane is considered mystical or holy, and historically, paper cranes were offered to shrines and temples by those who sought blessings. The advent of origami allowed the tradition to spread beyond votive offerings to become a broader phenomenon, which grew into the creation of one-thousand origami cranes - one for each year the animal was said to have lived.