• Ikuya uses thatching techniques to make decorative pieces
• He created his own tools for his small-scale creations
• He seeks to pass down the beauty and essence of his craft

Ikuya Sagara describes thatching as a uniquely holistic craft that encompasses growing crops, building structures and eventually, returning weathered straw to the earth as fertiliser. “In the past, everyone helped thatch their own roof,” he says. Japan’s humidity limits the lifespan of thatched roofs to around 25 years, which naturally and interestingly ensured the transmission of skills from one generation to the next. Today, as global interest in ecological practices rises, thatching is gaining renewed attention. Through workshops, Ikuya offers hands-on encounters with the craft. He creates artworks, sections of thatched roofing reimagined as wall pieces, to bring thatching closer to people's homes. “I live surrounded by nature. I feel at peace when I stand in the wind, and I often pick flowers to enjoy at home. I make pieces that invite those sentiments into our lives,” Ikuya says.