Korakuen's cranes (Special Natural Monument of Japan)
Cranes have been kept in Korakuen since the Edo Period, and their graceful form has fascinated people whenever they have been released into the garden.
Korakuen's cranes disappeared from the garden shortly after World War II. Guo Moruo, former president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, had as a young man attended a Okayama's Dairoku Senior High School, and in 1956 he presented the garden with two cranes.
Next to the Crane Aviary there is an inscription of a Chinese poem that conveys Guo Moruo's feelings: "Korakuen lost its castle in the war and seemed so lonely that at the least I wanted the cranes to return to the garden and be its good companions."
Then, in collaboration with Kushiro City in Hokkaido, the garden succeeded in hatching and raising many cranes and their beautiful forms returned to the garden.
Now, over 60 cranes are being raised in Okayama Prefecture, making it the number one prefecture in Japan for raising these birds.
Eight cranes are currently being raised in a cage in Korakuen, but on New Year's Day every year they are released into the garden to showcase their beautiful form.
Cranes have been kept in Korakuen since the Edo Period, and their graceful form has fascinated people whenever they have been released into the garden.
Korakuen's cranes disappeared from the garden shortly after World War II. Guo Moruo, former president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, had as a young man attended a Okayama's Dairoku Senior High School, and in 1956 he presented the garden with two cranes.
Next to the Crane Aviary there is an inscription of a Chinese poem that conveys Guo Moruo's feelings: "Korakuen lost its castle in the war and seemed so lonely that at the least I wanted the cranes to return to the garden and be its good companions."
Then, in collaboration with Kushiro City in Hokkaido, the garden succeeded in hatching and raising many cranes and their beautiful forms returned to the garden.
Now, over 60 cranes are being raised in Okayama Prefecture, making it the number one prefecture in Japan for raising these birds.
Eight cranes are currently being raised in a cage in Korakuen, but on New Year's Day every year they are released into the garden to showcase their beautiful form.