Nagoro, in Japan’s Iya Valley, has fewer than 30 human residents and more than 350 handmade scarecrow dolls — each one made by a single woman, Tsukimi Ayano, to replace neighbors who died or moved ...

NANMOKU, Japan — This village sits along a river running through the mountains, surrounded by forests of cedar and bamboo. The once-thriving hamlet was known for its silk, timber and a starchy root ...