Hanging from the beams of a makeshift workshop behind Ryoko Kurosu’s beauty salon are thousands of traditional ornaments the hairdresser has created from scratch — colorfully embellished fabric figurines that are testament to the power of perseverance in the face of seemingly irreparable calamity.
Each decoration carries a specific meaning, explains the cheerful septuagenarian, donning a gray kimono-style jacket.
“Take this red, baby-shaped amulet,” she says. “It’s called sarubobo, and it’s supposed to protect you from bad things.”