05x04 - The Paper Crane

[bunniefuu]

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

♪ Butterfly in the sky ♪

♪ I can go twice as high ♪

♪ Take a look ♪

♪ It's in a book ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can go anywhere ♪

♪ Friends to know ♪

♪ And ways to grow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can be anything ♪

♪ Take a look ♪

♪ It's in a book ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

That means "hello and welcome"
in japanese.

Today we're celebrating japan
and japanese culture.

I'm here at gasho of japan,
a restaurant in new york state.

It has all
of the elements

Of an authentic
japanese country home.

This beautiful,
peaceful garden

Really gives me the feeling
of being...

In japan.

And part of the magic
of being here is the music.

Yoko, that was
beautiful.

Thank you very much.

You're welcome.

This is
yoko gates,

Who plays
the traditional
japanese koto.

What is a koto?

Koto belongs
to the zither family,

Like a piano.

What's it
made out of?

It's made out of wood
called paulownia.

What are the strings
made from?

These are nylon.
The bridge is ivory.

Moving these bridges
back and forth

Changes the sound
of the strings?

That's correct, and we use
these ivory picks.

For example,
we use forward...

Or the backwards.

You get
a different sound

From the way you
use the picks, too?

Yes.

Could you play
another song?

Certainly.

One of the most enjoyable parts
of japanese culture is the food.

In japan,
lunch is not only delicious,

It's beautiful.

Mr. Yabafuchi is
an expert japanese chef

Who can transform a common
garden-variety onion

Into an exquisite
chrysanthemum.

Right now he's turning
an ordinary white radish

Into a rare
and special bird--

A japanese crane.

In japan, cranes are big,
beautiful white birds

Believed to bring long life
and good health.

Mr. Yabafuchi carves
beautiful gardens

Filled with flowers
and animals.

He makes them from all kinds
of different vegetables--

Onions...

Carrots and cucumbers...

And big
white radishes.

This crane will bring me
much good fortune.

A japanese crane
is a special gift.

Many stories tell
about the good luck it brings.

Here's one about a crane
made of paper

With the power
to change people's lives.

It's called
the paper crane.

A man once owned a restaurant
on a busy road.

He loved to cook good food,
and he loved to serve it.

He worked from morning
until night,

And he was happy.

But a new highway
was built close by.

Travelers drove straight
from one place to another

And no longer stopped
at the restaurant.

Many days went by
when no guests came at all.

The man became very poor
and had nothing to do

But dust and polish
his empty plates and tables.

One evening, a stranger
came into the restaurant.

His clothes
were old and worn,

But he had
an unusual, gentle manner.

Though he said he had
no money to pay for food,

The owner invited him
to sit down.

He cooked the best meal
he could make

And served him
like a king.

When the stranger
had finished,

He said to his host,
"I cannot pay you with money,

But I would like to
thank you in my own way."

He picked up a paper napkin
from the table

And folded it
into the shape of a crane.

"You have only to clap
your hands," he said,

"And this bird will
come to life and dance for you.

Take it and enjoy it
while it is with you."

It happened
just as the stranger had said.

The owner had only to
clap his hands,

And the paper crane
became a living bird,

Flew down to the floor,
and danced.

Soon word
of the dancing crane spread,

And people came
from far and near

To see
the magic bird perform.

The owner
was happy again,

For his restaurant was
always full of guests.

He cooked and served
and had company

From morning
until night.

The weeks passed...
And the months.

One evening, a man came
into the restaurant.

His clothes
were old and worn,

But he had an unusual,
gentle manner.

The owner knew him at once
and was overjoyed.

The stranger, however,
said nothing.

He took out a flute,

Raised it to his lips,
and began to play.

The crane flew down
from its place on the shelf

And danced as it had
never danced before.

The stranger
finished playing,

Lowered the flute
from his lips,

And returned it
to his pocket.

He climbed
on the crane's back.

They flew
out of the door and away.

The restaurant still stands
by the roadside.

Guests still come
to eat the good food

And hear the story
of the gentle stranger

And the magic crane
made from a paper napkin,

But neither the stranger
nor the dancing crane

Has ever been
seen again.

There was magic
in that paper crane.

Probably in
this one, too.

Here are some other
magical-looking creatures.

Look at this
yellow butterfly.

Almost looks real,
doesn't it?

Look at how
his wings work.

Recognize this guy?

It's a dog.

He's got
lots of folds.

There's even a special fold
for his tail.

How about
this sailboat?

Ready to sail
the seven seas.

Each was made
without glue

Or a single snip
or tear.

How do you transform
a single sheet of paper

Into beautiful works of art
like these?

Origami, the japanese art
of folding paper.

Thought I'd try
some origami myself.

It's a bookmark
shaped like a leaf.

The stem shows you
your place.

If you would like to try
some origami,

This book
can show you how.

It's called easy origami
by dokuohtei nakano.

One of the secrets
of origami

Is starting
with a beautiful piece of paper.

I know someone whose secret
to beautiful paper

Is an old pair
of blue jeans.

Think I'm kidding?
Watch this.

Hi. I'm
lynn forgach.

I'm a paper artist at
exeter press in new york city.

We make paper
out of many materials.

Today we're making paper
from blue jeans.

We cut a pair of old blue jeans
into small pieces.

Then we cut those pieces
into smaller bits like this.

Now that
they're this small,

We can start making
beautiful handmade paper.

This piece of equipment
is called a hollander beater.

It will reduce the fiber
of our jeans

Into very,
very small fibers.

The b*ating process
might be done.

Let's look
at the pulp.

You can see what tiny fibers
have been created.

The piece of jeans
we started with

Is now ready for making
sheets of paper.

Come on
and let's make some.

I've put the pulp
into this vat of water,

Where we'll make
our first sheet.

First I have to charge the vat
by stirring the fibers.

Then I'll put
the mold in deckle

And form a sheet.

You might notice
this shake.

I'm reweaving
the fibers,

Just like the jean
was originally.

These felts are used

For the paper to be couched
or transferred onto

And help absorb
the water.

To have fun with color,
we add pigment to pulp,

Put it into squeeze bottles,
and paint with it.

The sheets
of handmade paper

Are put in
this old screw book press.

I'll press it
as hard as I can.

You'll see the water
coming out.

Here are the sheets
I removed from the book press.

Although it's wet,
you can see it's strong.

After drying
for several weeks,

The finished sheet
might look like this.

I love working
with handmade paper.

A simple plant fiber
like cotton

Can be transformed
into a beautiful work of art.

Blue jeans
to paper--

That's a pretty
magical transformation.

Paper can be made
out of some interesting things.

It can also be made
into some interesting things,

Like books.

If you liked
the paper crane,

Here are some other books
you'll enjoy.

Imagine if
we didn't have paper.

How could you
write letters?

Would books be made
out of wood or stone?

I read a book that
told how paper was invented.

The book is called
paper through the ages.

Before paper
was invented,

People used to paint
on cave walls.

The egyptians
invented papyrus,

A sort of paper
made from plants,

But it was stiff,
and it smelled bad.

In the year 105,
the chinese invented paper.

They made it
out of mushy wood strips

Called pulp.

The japanese made lots
of different things from paper,

Like houses, lanterns,
windows, and even coats.

There's lots
of great information

And history
in this book

And a mystery trick
you can learn.

Take it from me,
kenneth michael benbow blank,

This is
a great book to read.

Pick it up
at your library.

Hi. I'm liza.

I like folk stories

With beautiful illustrations
and interesting characters.

Perfect crane by anne laurin
has both.

This is a japanese legend
about the magician gami.

Gami is lonely.
He has no friends.

He makes origami animals
and flowers for company.

One day, he makes
a beautiful white paper crane,

And then he brings
the crane to life.

There is
a happy ending

About making
and keeping friends.

The japanese say cranes
bring good luck.

Improve your luck--
get this book.

Would you eat
with chopsticks or utensils?

Some people
use both,

Like the little girl
in this book,

How my parents
learned to eat.

In this story,
an american sailor

Meets
a japanese girl.

They like each other,
but they can't eat together.

He can't
use chopsticks.

She can't use
forks and spoons.

So the american sailor
goes to a japanese restaurant

To learn
to use chopsticks.

Finally he asks
the girl to dinner.

You can read
the funny ending yourself.

I like this book

Because the girl's parents come
from two different countries.

I, david schoppik,

Advise you to read
how my parents learned to eat.

The garden here
at gasho of japan

Is about to undergo
its own magical transformation.

And the magic--
music.

This is soh daiko,
the japanese festival drummers.

[Chanting in japanese]

The 14 members
of soh daiko

Play taiko,
japanese festival drums.

They also
create sound

With conch shells, bells,
and bamboo flutes.

When soh daiko plays,
its members whoop and whirl,

Blending movement
and rhythm

To create music
that is exciting

To listen to and watch.

Blue jeans
to paper.

Paper to crane.

Tranquil garden
to japanese festival.

Magical
transformations...

Ha ha ha
ha ha ha!

Keep life
full of surprises.

Today's reading rainbow books
are

The paper crane
by molly bang,

Published by
greenwillow books.

Paper through the ages
by shaaron cosner,

Pictures by
priscilla kiedrowski,

Published by
carolrhoda books, inc.

Perfect crane
by anne laurin,

Illustrated by
charles mikolaycak,

Published by
harper and row.

How my parents learned to eat
by ina friedman,

Illustrated by
allen say,

Published by
houghton mifflin company.

Easy origami
by dokuohtei nakano,

Translated by
eric kenneway,

Published by
viking kestrel.