Valley of the scarecrows

Valley of the scarecrows

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Tsukimi Ayano stands in a scarecrow-filled classroom of a closed down school in the Japanese hamlet of Nagoro.

Thanks to Ayano, the small and isolated village is experiencing an unforeseen population boom - but the new residents are not what you might expect.

. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Nagoro is now covered with humanlike scarecrows, all created by Ayano in the 13 years since she moved back to the village where she grew up, to help care for her mother.

She originally started making them to scare animals away from her crops, but the dolls have taken on a life of their own, far outnumbering actual people in the hamlet.

They stand in houses, fields, trees, streets, and at a crowded bus stop - waiting for a bus that never comes.

. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Nagoro, like many villages in Japan's countryside, has been hit hard by inhabitants flocking to cities for work and leaving mostly pensioners behind.

At 65, Ayano is among the youngest residents of Nagoro.

"In this village, there are only 35 people," she said. "But there are 150 scarecrows, so it's multiple times more."

. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Some are made to the likeness of real people, like the doll that Ayano said represented her father taking a rest between work.

On her daily rounds, she walks around the village bidding the taciturn creations a good morning and tending to their needs.

"From here on out as well, as long as I'm healthy I plan to keep making scarecrows,” she said. “I enjoy it and I hope people can enjoy them too as I want to make them even more life-like, so that people will have to look twice and say 'Oh that wasn't a person!'"

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Slideshow

A scarecrow representing a teacher sits in a classroom in the closed down school.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A scarecrow representing a teacher sits in a classroom in the closed down school.

Scarecrows representing former pupils and a teacher sit in a classroom.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Scarecrows representing former pupils and a teacher sit in a classroom.

A scarecrow holds a book.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A scarecrow holds a book.

A room full of scarecrows take a lesson.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A room full of scarecrows take a lesson.

A scarecrow is reflected in a window.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A scarecrow is reflected in a window.

Scarecrows sit in front of a house.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Scarecrows sit in front of a house.

Tsukimi Ayano carries a scarecrow to place it on the road leading into the village.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Tsukimi Ayano carries a scarecrow to place it on the road leading into the village.

Ayano approaches a scarecrow she made as a likeness of herself.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Ayano approaches a scarecrow she made as a likeness of herself.

Ayano arranges a scarecrow.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Ayano arranges a scarecrow.

A woman pushes a wheelbarrow along a road.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A woman pushes a wheelbarrow along a road.

Scarecrows stand in a field.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Scarecrows stand in a field.

A scarecrow ploughs a field.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A scarecrow ploughs a field.

Ayano arranges a scarecrow at a bus stop.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Ayano arranges a scarecrow at a bus stop.

A scarecrow sits in a field.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A scarecrow sits in a field.

A scarecrow wears glasses.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A scarecrow wears glasses.

A scarecrow is pictured in Ayano’s house.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A scarecrow is pictured in Ayano’s house.

A scarecrow looks at the camera.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A scarecrow looks at the camera.

Ayano sows an ear onto a scarecrow at her home.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Ayano sows an ear onto a scarecrow at her home.

She serves tea.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

She serves tea.

Ayano steps out of her house.
. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Ayano steps out of her house.

. NAGORO, JAPAN. REUTERS/Thomas Peter