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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 ...

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 called konjac.

As depopulation deepens around the world, a small village in Japan turns to puppets to stitch their community back together. Ichinono is only one of several “doll villages” in Japan where life-sized ...

Today, it is Japan's most aged village, with two-thirds of residents over age 65. Many of the settlement's buildings are dilapidated or abandoned, and there's little new construction. Nanmoku's ...

Some Japanese are trying to reinvigorate their country's most aged village — where two-thirds of residents are over 65. Japan's village with the oldest population is wooing young residents to survive ...

In 2022, Kuma Village in Japan’s southern Kumamoto Prefecture was severely damaged by torrential rain. Rebuilding homes after the disaster presented a significant challenge and posed the question: ...

Niseko, on Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido, is coveted by skiers and snowboarders for its powder and its luxurious wintertime retreats—from the Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton ...

A Japanese village struggling with a low population created life-sized dolls to mimic the feeling of a bustling society. The hamlet of Ichinono, which has less than 60 residents and only one child, is ...