1
Nestled in the hidden valleys of Shikoku, Japan, is the village of Nagoro. Its remote location has led its residents to leave for big cities in search for work. With not even a local store, there's little reason for immigration. So as residents die there is no one left to fill their void. Nagoro is slowly shrinking.
Nagoro村坐落在日本四国岛的一个隐蔽山谷内。由于它地处偏僻，村民们为了找工作纷纷离开，去了周边的大城市。当地连一个商店都没有，几乎没什么理由吸引外来移民入住。随着留守老人们慢慢离世，又没有新人到来，渐渐地，Nagoro村变得人烟稀少。
2
Eleven years ago, Ayano Tsukimi returned to her home in Nagoro. Confronted with constant departures, she has populated the village with dolls, each representing a former villager. Around 350 of the giant dolls now reside in and around Nagoro, replacing those that died or abandoned the village years ago.
11年前，女艺术家月见绫野重返家乡。面对这么多的人陆续离去，她决定给村庄制作娃娃增加“人气”，每一个娃娃都代表一个以前的村民。现在村内及周边共放置了大约350个大个头的娃娃，用来代表多年前离开或者去世的居民。
3
In a recent documentary titled The Valley Of Dolls, Fritz Schumann explores Tsukimi's world, highlighting the time and artistry that goes into making the figures, and explaining her motivations. In it we're shown around a local school, once filled with children and teachers, that now houses dozens of dolls, sitting statically, waiting for class to begin.
在最近一部名为《娃娃谷》的纪录片里，弗里茨·舒曼探索了月见女士的世界，突出了她倾注在这些娃娃中的时间和技艺，同时也解释了她的创作动机。片中展示了当地一所学校，曾经有很多孩子和老师在这里上课；如今学校里只有几十只娃娃，它们安静地坐着，等待上课。
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Tsukimi discovered her craft almost by accident. When seeds that she planted failed to grow, she decided to build a scarecrow in the likeness of her father. It was only then that she fell upon the idea to recreate the village she once knew. The dolls are made with straw, fabric, and old clothes, much like a humble scarecrow, and Tsukimi is constantly making new figures to replace ones that have worn out.
月见女士发现自己的创作手艺纯属偶然。当时她播下的种子长势不好，于是她就决定做一个和父亲相像的稻草人。就是在那时，她冒出了重建这个曾经熟悉的村庄的想法。这些娃娃是用稻草、织物和旧衣服做成的，和做一个简陋的稻草人差不多。在旧娃娃破损后，月见会不断制作新的来替换掉。
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Although the documentary offers a beautiful look at the village and Tsukimi's dolls, you can 'visit' Nagoro at your own pace thanks to the ubiquity of Google Maps' StreetView. Many of the figures are positioned right beside the roadside — Tsukimi intentionally places them there to attract visitors — making StreetView a practical tool for touring one of Japan's most remote locations.
虽然纪录片中已经给Nagoro村和月见所做的娃娃做了美丽的展示，但如今谷歌街景已经那么普及，你完全可以借助它自行参观Nagoro村。因为许多娃娃就被直接放在路边（月见刻意把他们放在那里吸引游客），于是谷歌街景成了很好的工具，可以带你游览这个日本最偏远的村庄。