. —— konnichiwa.ument using old newspapers and close donated by fellow villages and well—wishers, ayano has created her own scarecrow community. it takes two days to prepare and make each scarecrow, and now it —— there are 350 of these manikins, where outnumbering the ten villages remaining here. it's brought unexpected celebrity tourists arrive in regular numbers from all over the world. and there's an annual scarecrow festival. now it's time to take the new boy to find some friends. ayano used to attend the school, as did most of the locals. but two years ago it closed down. so she has preserved for posterity, frozen in time from its last ever day. from a community on the verge of extinction, to one forever on the edge of danger. my next destination takes me 600 kilometres south to japan! third—largest island and the city of kagoshima, in the shadow of the country's most volatile mountain, sakurajima. japan is home to 108 active volcanoes, more than almost any other country. beneath us, three peaks

konnichiwa! ayu na—san? speaks japanese. rajan — nice to meet you, and yourfriends.ing old newspapers and clothes donated by fellow villagers and well—wishers, ayano has created her own scarecrow community. we will call it hiro! it takes two days to prepare and make each scarecrow and now, there are 350 of these mannequins — way outnumbering the ten villagers left here. some people may find this scene rather spooky but for ayano, it's brought unexpected celebrity. tourists arrive in regular numbers from all over the world, and there's an annual scarecrow festival. now, it's time to take the new boy to find some friends. i think i'm more attached to these scarecrows than ayano—san is, frankly. wow! this is amazing! astonishing. ayano used to attend this school — as did most other locals. but two years ago it closed down. so she's preserved it for posterity — frozen it in time from its last ever day. from a community on the verge of extinction, to one forever on the edge of danger. my next destination takes me 600 kilometres south to japan's third—largest island and th

konnichiwa! where are you? i know you're around here somewhere. pillows of love.ide streets. shuttered storefronts give way to packed izakayas. a few beers, and somebody breaks out a shamisen, and the good times begin. people go out here. and after pounding your fists hooks and shitting out bone chips, you can drop by dojo bar, james' refuge where some of the island's most esteemed masters and their students come for what is recognized internationally as the cure for all martial arts related ailments, alcohol. >> would you like a drink? >> i think i would like a beer and maybe a shot of something. >> well, i do have a little shot of something. >> that's a big snake. >> so, the habushu sake is, like, the spirit of okinawa. >> is this sake or whiskey? >> this is sake. this is okinawan sake called awamori, so, like a mainland japanese sake, but then they distill it like whiskey so it becomes stronger, but also now it will age. it's been in here with the snake maybe, like, three years. so all of the essence of the snake has gone out into the alcohol. >> there seems to

konnichiwa! ayu na—san? speaks japanese. rajan — nice to meet you, and yourfriends.ere. some people may find this scene rather spooky but for ayano, it's brought unexpected celebrity. tourists arrive in regular numbers from all over the world, and there's an annual scarecrow festival. now it's time to take the new boy to find some friends. i think i'm more attached to these scarecrows than ayano—san is, frankly. wow. this is amazing! astonishing. ayano used to attend this school, as did most other locals. but two years ago it closed down. so she's preserved it for posterity — frozen it in time from its last ever day. from a community on the verge of extinction, to one forever on the edge of danger. my next destination takes me 600 kilometres south to japan's third—largest island and the city of kagoshima, in the shadow of the country's most volatile mountain, sakurajima. japan is home to 108 active volcanoes, more than almost any other country. beneath us, three peaks of the volcano and two craters. there are three eruptions a day on average from sakurajima, and toda