Japanese students

Something strange is going on in Backfold. A few days ago I saw a young Japanese man sketching in Backfold. I felt a bit sorry for him - he must have been frozen. Later, I saw him again, leaning over the low wall from the Castle, and measuring the roofs of the shops below with a long tape measure. The lady from Bedecked said he was a Japanese student and that this seemed to be some sort of project he was doing - but what can it be for? Is he making a scale model of Backfold - and if so, why?