People living in a small village in Japan are 'probably outnumbered' by puppets and not just any puppets - life-sized ones.
If you were left creeped out by Coraline and couldn't even fathom the idea of watching Child's Play or Annabelle: Creation this Halloween then you may want to avoid traveling to one particular village in Japan.
It's reported less than 60 people currently live in the southern village of Ichinono as a result of young people growing up and leaving to pursue their education, careers or simply a busier pace of life in a city.
Left behind are those who have grown old in the village and retired, who decided to remain rather than leave despite being encouraged to go elsewhere.
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And it's those past retirement age who are 'now paying the price,' 88-year-old widow Hisayo Yamazaki told Agence France-Presse news agency, with many battling feelings of isolation and loneliness in the small village.
A solution? Well, rather than moving out or inviting more people to join the area, the villagers came up with a slightly more out-of-the-box solution - making life-sized puppets.
Images of Ichinono show puppets made up to look like a family, with two adults and a child with a trolley full of logs.
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Another shows a young puppet on a bike, there's a young girl puppet positioned on a swing and others positioned right on the steps of some people's homes.
Yamazaki said: "We’re probably outnumbered by puppets."
Why puppets can benefit mental health
A staff newsletter from Ciusss West-Central Montreal details a 'Puppet Hour' scheme which was launched by Coordinator of Therapeutic Leisure and Recreology for SAPA, Josie Di Benedetto, and external consultant Janice Greenberg.
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Arguing why puppets aren't solely for children, Di Benedetto cites studies which have shown puppets can alleviate symptoms of loneliness and depression in older generations.
Not only this, but puppets offer a 'stimulating visual experience' which can be beneficial for older people who are experiencing 'social and cognitive decline'.
Drama therapist Dannielle Jackson echoed to ABC News: "In the ageing process where things like memory or speech might decrease, the imagination doesn't seem to."
Puppets can also be made to trigger certain memories of people or experiences.
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Jackson resolved: "It's not childish, or child's play. Puppets allow you to project in a way that is safe [...] Puppets, or empathetic puppets, allow social engagement and expression."
Topics: Japan, Mental Health, World News
Poppy Bilderbeck