The watcher
A strange fellow has appeared in my village recently. What the hell is he doing?
A closer look reveals that this is not a “fellow” at all, but rather a mannequin. Apparently the inoshishi (wild boar) and saru (monkeys) have been crop raiding lately. So, “the watcher” (that’s what I call him–his real name it turns out is Ted) has been commissioned to stand guard over the fields.
I don’t know where the hell people found this guy, or what his original purpose was, but I’m glad he’s found some work to keep him busy in his retirement.
Keep up the good work Ted!
Thanks to K-san for the photos. . .find her original article (in Japanese) here.
Contributor Bio: I am a doctoral student of environmental anthropology currently living and conducting research in a mountain village in Nagano. In my research I explore modernity as it is expressed in a rural mountain community. Specifically I look at national management structures, as well as social discourses, related to forests and probe the impacts these have on local human communities. I have lived and worked in Japan for 5 years. My interests also include Buddhism, literature, music, and mountaineering. Read more at my personal blog: In the Pines.
- Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
- dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
- Kirainet.com – A geek in Japan (Subscribe)
