The crane has always occupied a special place in the hearts of the Japanese people. Spending most of the year in northern countries such as Siberia, they fly to Japan only during the winter months, where they first impressed the ancient Japanese with their striking, noble appearance. Since that time they have appeared in countless stories and a wide variety of artistic media, and the crane motif has been used several times at Yoshiyo Studios in making partitions and wall decorations. The painting illustrated at the bottom of the page is a famous work by Sonoichi, an artist during the Edo period. The painting is owned by the Los Angeles Country Art Museum, in the United States.
