The Cranes: The National Tribute to Japanese Canadian Life is a permanent and powerful artistic installation for the Japanese Canadian community, incorporating dedications to 2,000 people and organizations. It serves as a snapshot of the community at the millennium. Housed in the Shokokai Court of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, the Cranes is a special project transforming a donor recognition wall into a dynamic monument to the Japanese Canadian community.

The installation invites continuing participation of community members. The Cranes serves as a long overdue focal point for the community; recognizing our past and drawing future generations to the JCCC to remember, to learn, and to celebrate.

The Japanese Crane has been represented in Japanese art and literature for centuries. The most beautiful of the world’s cranes, it is considered a bird of happiness and good omens, used frequently as a good luck symbol. How fitting the cranes have been chosen as the symbol of dedication in tribute to the Japanese Canadian community.