Probably everyone who has ever taken a drive in the inaka notices the scarecrows. When I was on JET, I used to collect photos of these surprisingly scary life-size faux-humans. Once you get past the terror of seeing one of these on a lonely walk in the countryside, they’re actually pretty interesting in their variation. And as far as arts and crafts go, they can be a good reminder that the people who live there take care of their home. (Though maybe not the ones with long-haired wigs that look like they’ve been battered by the elements for 30+ years… those are still pretty scary.)
I forgot all about them since I left. This summer, I visited Japan again for the first time in 6 years. These creations seemed weird and unsettling when I first saw them as a fresh-faced ALT. This time around, they were the familiar lovely crafts projects I remembered.
Written by Nadine Bukhman