International
19th Nippon Scout Jamboree
From One Crane to a Thousand, My Journey to Peace
From 4–10 August 2026, a Contingent of forty-three youth members, Leaders and adult helpers from Scouts Australia travelled to Jinsekikogen, Hiroshima, Japan, to participate in the 19th Nippon Scout Jamboree. Joining more than seven thousand Scouts and Leaders from Japan and around the world, the Australian Contingent experienced a week of adventure, cultural exchange, international friendship and personal growth.
Below is a report from one of the participants, Kyra, who shares her experiences of her journey to Japan and how these experiences changed the way she viewed both Scouting and her role as a young person in the wider world.
Report from Kyra
Representing Scouts Australia at the 19th Nippon Scout Jamboree was one of the most memorable experiences of my Scouting journey. Going to Japan gave me the chance to experience a completely different culture, meet Scouts from all over the world, take on new responsibilities and see how Scouting connects people, even when we come from completely different places.
One of the moments I am most proud of was being chosen as an official flag bearer for Scouts Australia at the closing ceremony. Carrying the flag alongside Scouts representing other countries was both exciting and a little nerve-racking. When I looked out and saw around 8000 Scouts gathered together, it really hit me how big the Scouting community is. I felt incredibly proud knowing that, at that moment, I was representing Australia and my own Scouting journey. I also had the opportunity to be a Patrol Leader for Katsudon Kangaroo. Leading Scouts with different personalities, backgrounds and experiences pushed me outside my comfort zone and taught me how important it is to listen, communicate and make sure everyone feels included. While both experiences helped me grow as a leader, being a flag bearer was especially meaningful because it gave me the opportunity to represent something bigger than myself.
Throughout the Jamboree, I took part in activities that made me think about issues and experiences that I probably would not normally encounter in everyday life. The peacebuilding and human rights activities made me realise how important empathy, respect and simply listening to other people can be. Learning about disaster prevention and recovery showed me how important it is for communities to prepare, support each other and stay strong when things go wrong. The activities around peace and beliefs gave me the opportunity to hear different opinions and learn about cultures and beliefs that were different from my own. Even something as simple as planting trees made me think about how small actions can make a difference when lots of people work together.
And then there was the unexpected highlight: seeing Prince Hisahito! With thousands of Scouts, Leaders and visitors around, I honestly didn’t think I would get much more than a distant glimpse. My chances felt somewhere between possible and spotting a shooting star at lunchtime. Somehow, though, my timing was perfect and I actually saw him! It was only for a moment, and I remember thinking, “Did I really just see him?” It was completely unexpected, but definitely one of those random memories from Japan that I will always remember.
Alongside everything happening at the Jamboree, I also took on a personal challenge that became much more meaningful than I originally expected: folding 1000 origami paper cranes for the Hiroshima Peace Memorial.
The tradition of Senbazuru, folding 1000 paper cranes, is a powerful symbol of hope and peace. It is connected to the story of Sadako Sasaki, who developed leukaemia after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and folded paper cranes while wishing for recovery and a world without war. Over time, the paper crane has become an international symbol of peace and remembrance.
I decided to take on the challenge just three weeks before leaving for Japan. Once I realised how many cranes 1000 actually was, I quickly realised I wasn’t going to be able to do it alone! I asked my family to help, and during the school holidays we spent hours folding cranes together. What started as something I thought I had to do myself turned into something we could all be part of. There were plenty of conversations, laughs and probably a few moments where we wondered why I had decided to fold 1000 cranes in the first place!
As the cranes started to pile up, I began to realise that I was creating something more than just 1000 pieces of folded paper. Each crane was a small action, but together they represented something much bigger. They became a symbol of hope and a reminder that even something small can become meaningful when you keep working at it.
Visiting Hiroshima made everything I had been thinking about feel real. Walking through the Peace Memorial Park, seeing the Atomic Bomb Dome and standing at the Children’s Peace Monument, surrounded by millions of paper cranes, was something I found difficult to put into words. After spending so much time folding my own cranes, finally hanging my Senbazuru at the memorial was an incredibly emotional moment. What made it even more special was that afterwards, I was invested as a Venturer Scout. Moving up as a Venturer Scout was already an important milestone for me, but having my investiture in Hiroshima, right after hanging the cranes, made it feel like the start of a completely new chapter. The cranes represented the work I had put into my commitment to peace, while becoming a Venturer Scout represented my growth and the next step in my Scouting journey. Having those two moments happen together, in a place with such a powerful history, is something I don’t think I will ever forget.
Coming home from Japan, I realised that peace isn’t just about there being no conflict. It is something we all have a part in creating through understanding, respect, empathy, service and simply being willing to have conversations with people who may see the world differently.
I will continue to share the story of Hiroshima and the meaning behind the paper cranes, encouraging conversations within Scouting and my wider community about peace, cultural understanding and learning from history. I hope that by sharing my experience, I can encourage other people to realise that they don’t have to do something huge to make a difference.
My experience in Japan has changed the way I look at Scouting and my role as a young person in the wider world. Before the Jamboree, I already knew Scouting was about adventure, friendship and learning new skills. Japan showed me that it can also be about understanding people, taking responsibility and using what we learn to make a difference.
One folded paper crane became 1000. Those 1000 cranes took me to Hiroshima, became part of my Scouting journey and ultimately became the beginning of conversations about how we can all play a small part in creating a more peaceful world.
Article written by Kyra – Australian Youth Participant