美山町の萱葺き職人 Thatch Roofers in Miyama, Kyoto

On June 12, I had the opportunity to interpret for a couple of thatch roofers, Shiozawa-san and Nakano-san. During the morning session, Shiozawa-san taught students from the US about the knots and tools used to thatch roofs in Japan. Nakano-san created a model roof and demonstrated how materials are used.
In the afternoon, Nakano-san spoke about the roofs he's thatched, many of which are cultural heritage sites. Shiosawa-san spoke about the greater ecological and social significance of thatch roofing in Japan.

Nakano-san making a bamboo needle used to thatch roofs

Storage of reeds and grasses used for thatching

Further details can be found at the following websites:
Shiozawa-san's homepage: http://www.kayabuki-ya.net
Nakano-san's homepage: http://www.cans.zaq.ne.jp/miyama-kayabuki/