On the eastern end of Japan’s Shikoku Island, there’s a village known as Nagoro. Like many other small towns around the world, it has seen its population shrink every year, with people either passing away or flocking to cities for a better life. To fight off the loneliness, an older woman named Tsukimi Ayano has created hundreds of kakashi (scarecrows in Japanese) to repopulate the area, earning Nagoro the nickname of “Village of the Dolls.”
These life-size dolls are made of straw, newspaper, and old clothes. While they are quite detailed, it’s their placements throughout the village that have gotten them worldwide attention. Tsukimi positions them around the town in realistic poses, whether they are doing repairs, studying hard at school, waiting for a bus, or simply relaxing after a day of work. If you drove by quickly, you could easily mistake them for real people.
Tsukimi’s project began back in 2002. After spending part of her life in Osaka, she moved back to Nagoro. To protect a field from pests, she made her first scarecrow—a giant doll resembling her father. After her creation caught the attention of her neighbors, she decided to make more to honor those who had left or died. That’s why each doll has a name, and their personality, age, and backstory are catalogued.
While Nagoro is home to about two dozen residents, it now has over 300 dolls. The kakashi have inspired visitors from around the world to travel for several hours on the winding roads of the Iya Valley to catch a glimpse of this unique place. The dolls even have their own festival on the first Sunday of October every year. To Tsukimi’s delight, many visitors are excited to take a look at her workshop.
If you’re ever in Japan and want to visit this quirky place, local travel agency Shikoku Tours suggests taking a taxi, as the place is so remote and tiny that it’s easy to miss. On the way there, you’re likely to see more of these dolls around the shrinking villages. Since the kakashi have reached local art form status, the area has become a bit of a tourist attraction—and is now brimming with life.
A small town in Japan known as Nagoro is home to over 300 kakashi or scarecrows, earning it the nickname of “Village of the Dolls.”
These were all made by an older woman named Tsukimi Ayano, who aimed to fight off loneliness after many of her neighbors moved away or died.
That’s why each doll has a name, and their personality, age, and backstory are catalogued.
These life-size dolls are made of straw, newspaper, and old clothes.
Tsukimi has placed them around the town in realistic poses, whether they are doing repairs, studying hard at school, waiting for a bus, or simply relaxing after a day of work.
If you drove by quickly, you could easily mistake them for real people.
h/t: [Offbeat Japan]
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