A unique solution to combat loneliness and emptiness has emerged in the rural Japanese village of Ichinono. The village, with fewer than 60 residents, mostly elderly, is now using lifelike effigies to replace those who have left the area. according to sky NewsMany young residents had moved to the cities for education and employment, leaving behind an aging community. To fill this void, villagers creatively crafted puppets from old clothing, textiles and mannequins.
These realistic puppets now reside in the village, providing companionship and vitality. The lifelike statues, depicting children at play and adults going about their daily routines, stand as a tribute to the vibrant community that once flourished in Ichinino. In many of the effigies, a girl wearing a cap is on a swing, while a smiling boy stands ready on a scooter. Another puppet girl sits on a bike wearing a red helmet. Elsewhere, adult and child puppets engage in daily activities such as gathering firewood.
New photos of Japan’s “puppet village”, where puppets made to mimic the appearance of children now outnumber the dwindling number of mostly elderly residents. Nothing captures loneliness like a silent, motionless puppet-child.
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“We probably outnumber the puppets,” 88-year-old widow Hisayo Yamazaki told AFP.
He said most families in Ichinono had children who were encouraged to move elsewhere. “Now we are paying the price for it,” he said.
However, Rei Kato, 33, and Toshiki Kato, 31, challenged this trend by relocating from Osaka to a rural village. Her two-year-old son Kuranosuke Kato made history as Ichinano’s first child in 20 years, according to Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.
His father said, “By being born here, our son benefits from the love, support and hope of so many people – even though he has achieved nothing in life yet.”
In particular, Japan’s elderly population has reached a record high, with 36.25 million citizens aged 65 and older, accounting for 29.3% of the total population. Meanwhile, Japan’s overall population continues to decline, marking its 15th consecutive year of contraction in 2023.
The demographic transition is further exacerbated by record-low birth rates, with only 730,000 newborns and an all-time high death rate of 1.58 million in 2023. Many developed nations are facing similar demographic timebombs, but Japan, which allows relatively low levels of immigration, already has the world’s second oldest population, behind Monaco.
