Welcome to Nagoro, Japan, a place where old residents are being replaced by life-sized dolls.
For those who die or move away, Ayano Tsukimi is making lifesized dolls and scatters them around the whole valley in places that were important to them. Strange phenomenon, no?
Ayano Tsukimi returned to the village after an 11-year absence. Many of her old neighbors and friends had left for larger cities or simply passed away. The town itself is dying with a dwindling population of about 35 people. So to re-populate her village, she decided to replace her lost friends and family members with dolls.
She has made over 350 dolls in 10 years… So strolling around Nagoro, you might discover some inanimate memorials in fields, along rivers, or sitting in chairs along the road. Cool!
