Valley of Dolls (2014)
Ayano Tsukimi is one of the last remaining residents of remote Nagoro. In the last ten years, she has created more than 300 dolls and placed them around the village. The dolls now greatly outnumber the last people still living there.
“Dolls” is my biggest story so far: It has been published worldwide (National Geographic, Discovery Channel among others) and was screened at several international short film festivals. I also received a national journalism award in Germany for this work.
Since it’s publication, the story has been copied many times and reportedly increased foreign tourism in the valley – a reason why I have been interviewed many times, by Japanese TV and the BBC, among other media.