Sadako Peace Projects Recap SY2025-2026
The Japan-America Society of Hawaii (JASH), in collaboration with Pacific Historic Parks (PHP), continues to host the Sadako Peace Project at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial once a month during select months of the academic school year. During the fall semester, high school student volunteers participated with us on September 27. In the spring semester, intermediate, high school, and college students participated on February 7, April 4, and April 18. Volunteers helped share the inspiring story of Sadako Sasaki and her enduring message of peace with memorial visitors, as they learned how to fold peace cranes and also received cranes folded by students in Japan. These cranes are sent to JASH as part of world history and peace studies lessons coordinated by teachers across Japan.
On September 27, students from Punahou School’s Kokoro Konnect, a student-led organization, participated in our Sadako Peace Project. They engaged with visitors from England, South Korea, and across the U.S., sharing a variety of beautifully folded peace cranes generously donated by students from Kodaira Nishi High School and Otori Junior High School in Tokyo.
On February 7, we welcomed student volunteers from Waipahu Intermediate School and University Laboratory School. Despite the rain, they did a fantastic job engaging with visitors from across the continental United States. Notably, the students from University Laboratory School visited Hiroshima last summer and brought a special level of passion and personal connection to sharing the message of peace through this project. Volunteers shared peace cranes with visitors that were generously folded by students from several schools in Japan, including Kodaira Nishi High School (Tokyo), Otori Junior High School (Tokyo), Chofu 3 Junior High School (Tokyo), Satsukigaoka Junior High School (Hiroshima), Moka Hokuryo High School (Tochigi), and Shiraume Gakuen Junior College (Tokyo).
On April 4, we welcomed student volunteers, including the 2025 and 2026 Hiroshima Peace Scholarship scholars and their friends, as well as students from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa International Business Organization. They engaged with visitors from across the continental United States, China, and India, sharing the story of Sadako Sasaki and spreading her powerful message of peace. Volunteers also shared peace cranes with visitors, generously donated by students from Kamikoiwa Elementary School in Tokyo and by a group of South African employees from Durban who work for a Japanese company and are currently studying Japanese. This gathering also served as the second workshop of the 2026 Hiroshima Peace Scholarship program, organized by JASH.
On April 18, we were joined by students from the Japanese Club at Moanalua High School. They did an outstanding job sharing the story of Sadako Sasaki and her message of peace with visitors from across the continental United States, India, and Ukraine. The club has been volunteering with us for the past few years, and we look forward to welcoming them again next school year!
To learn more about the Sadako Peace Projects and how your keiki, family, or youth organization can get involved, visit jashawaii.org/education/spp.
