Scarecrow soccer

There is a scarecrow festival in Yamakuni. There's not much going on in this tiny mountain village, whose claim to fame is a skating rink and a famous chicken dish at a road-side restaurant. So they invented this annual scarecrow extravaganza. For several years there's been the odd few scarecrows in a field near a restored country cottage, but they really outdid themselves this year, with scarecrows all over the place, fishing from the river, sitting outside shops, and here, a whole game of soccer complete with cameramen and supporters.





Erica was very confused and frightened by these beings that resembled people, but had no faces. How scary for a little baby!

We also stopped here for a photo op while on the tour for the AFWJ mini convention.