Inside Japan’s Scarecrow Village: The Fascinating Life-Sized Dolls of Nagoro

Spot: Nagoro Scarecrow Village
Prefecture: Tokushima
Date Visited: May 2019

When I was planning my visit to Iya Valley, Nagoro was not on my list of spots to visit. I was mostly excited about the forest monorail as well as the many suspension bridges.  I only learned about the Scarecrow Village when the driver I hired for a private tour told me that we’d include it in the day’s itinerary. 

“People think the Scarecrow Village is of little interest before they get to it. Once they do, they end up taking their time,” the driver tells me.

True enough, I was one of those people. It was after lunch when we headed to the village, and I had just crossed off the absolute musts on my list. I didn’t think I’d find other attractions as exciting. At the first sight of the so-called scarecrows, however, I was immediately fascinated. Dolls they were, for sure, but something about them was robust with life. 

Tsukimi Ayano’s Creations

I guess the reason why the dolls come across as animated is partly because that’s exactly what the artist wanted them to represent. All these dolls in the village are the handmade effort of Tsukimi Ayano, a returning local who, upon coming back, was surprised to find out that the population of the village she grew up in had drastically decreased. Tsukimi Ayano had previously moved to Osaka, but had returned to take care of her aging father. At first, she made a scarecrow simply to scare the birds away from her garden, but after feeling the loneliness that surrounds an almost empty village, she began making more and putting them in places where people would have been.

As Animated as Dolls Could Be

Among the fascinating facts about the Tsukimi Ayano’s dolls is that no two are the same. Each has a different expression, hair, and clothing. It is said that each scarecrow represents a villager who has left for the city, or has sadly passed away. This probably explains why some of them have specific articles of clothing, like watches, that I imagine the person it represents had probably worn. 

The scarecrows are also often in the middle of doing something⁠—some appear to be enjoying some quiet time with their loved ones, others dancing or celebrating a momentous event. This is one of the reasons why they look animated even though they remain still. 

Still Missing People

Much to Tsukimi Ayano’s effort, Nagoro has since gained some popularity and the village has been nicknamed “Kakashi no Sato,” meaning the “Scarecrow Village.” The scarecrows serve as the village’s attraction, but while many people come to sightsee, written accounts say that the population, as of March 2018, is still a mere 20 people, while the dolls have grown to at least 200.

Nagoro’s scarecrows embody both loneliness with a glimmer of hope. The dolls are an adorable attraction, but one can only hope that village will one day see more residents than there are dolls.

Nagoro Scarecrow Village: Tokyo Past 3 Video

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How to Get to Nagoro Scarecrow Village (Kakashi no Sato)

Kakashi no Sato (Scarecrow Village) is best visited by car. You can hire a private taxi to tour you around Iya Valley and combine your visit with other sightseeing spots such as vine bridges and the forest monorail. The roads spots are far from each other and will take a long time on foot, not to mention the roads curvy slopes not designed for pedestrian passage. The only downside for English speakers is that the drivers can only speak basic English, so you won’t get as much information as when you are able to communicate in Japanese.

Alternatively, you can navigate by bus. Please keep in mind, however, that the buses are few and far in between. Please check the time schedule and plan accordingly, lest you want to be stuck in the middle of a nowhere, with barely any people in sight.