Elderly Residents of Shrinking Village Build Life-Size Puppets To Combat Loneliness

As the population of a small Japanese village dwindles, creative residents endeavor to mimic the companionship of children with life-size puppets.

The village of Ichinono, Japan, populated by fewer than 60 people—mostly elderly—has taken to creating life-size puppets to ease the loneliness that comes as younger generations move away for work and education.

The southern village now finds itself "outnumbered by puppets," according to resident Hisayo Yamazaki, 88. "Most families used to have children who were encouraged to go somewhere else," she told Sky News. "We're now paying the price."

Villagers have fashioned mannequins from old clothes and fabrics, populating Ichinono with life-like figures in everyday scenes.

Silent figures ride bicycles and scooters. A motionless girl in braided pigtails sits on a swing while other children help to load logs on to a cart.

In some scenes, a larger puppet supervises the static play, or holds a protective hand on a child waiting to cross an empty road.

While Ichinono has experienced a significant population decline, a few young families have recently returned. Rie Kato, 33, and her husband Toshiki, 31, moved back from Osaka, and their son, Kuranosuke, became the village's first baby in two decades. "Just by being born here, our son benefits from the love, support and hope of so many people," Toshiki said.

Ichinono reflects a broader trend in Japan, where 29.3% of the population is over 65, the highest rate globally, as the country's population continues to decline.