The Birds

A run-of-the-mill suburban house in Shinurayasu has been turned into a shrine for wood-carved birds. A hobby of the owner's, no doubt.

There was quite a variety in bird species.

While I'm amazed by the sheer number of birds, I'm less surprised (though of course, impressed) by the quality of the work. A couple of years ago, my then 88-year-old grandfather showed me an exquisitely carved wooden bird that he himself had whittled down from a block of wood. In Japan, each elementary school kid has their own set of carving chisels, which they use in art class. Perhaps it's something you come back to when you're older and have the time.