Episode 1

The farmers

The igusa industry has been in Japan for over 1,300 years, but over the past 30 years it has drastically shrunk in scale, putting its continuity into the future at risk. We spoke with the Nakayama couple who run Nakayama Farm in Yatsushiro, which produces over 95% of Japan's igusa.

Episode 2

The craftsmen

We'll be introducing each of these stories, interwoven with beautiful footage, as well as the hardships and joys of the weavers who weave the beautiful woven igusa fabric known as hanagoza, the precision of the dyers who calculate the temperature and humidity precisely to find the optimal mixture for each occasion, and the passion of the furniture craftman who finish the igusa furniture after these processes and send it off around the world. Please be sure to watch.