Haruo Nishio – A Japanese Thatcher’s Journey
Prologue-Where a Rootless Man Found His Ground
In 1994, after graduating with a degree in philosophy, Haruo Nishio moved to rural Miyama to apprentice as a traditional thatcher—at a time when the craft was on the verge of disappearing in Japan.
Learn MoreChapter ２-Across the Sea — Discovering Thatch in England
In England, I discovered that thatching was not fading — it was valued. And I realized I was not alone, but part of a long human tradition.
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Chapter ３-Light in the Darkness — Collapse and Return
In the midst of depression and uncertainty, I left the roof and became a salaried employee — not knowing that even this detour was preparing me to return stronger.
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Chapter ４- Across Japan
Traveling across Japan, I learned that thatching was not one tradition, but many — each roof carrying the memory of its region.
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Chapter ５- Founding My Own Company
To protect thatched houses, I realized I needed more than craft — I needed responsibility, structure, and a place where tradition could continue.
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Chapter ６- Opening the First Thatched Stay (2011)
In 2011, we opened our own thatched home to guests — not as a hotel, but as an experiment in whether sharing could become preservation.
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Chapter ７- Restoring Houses That Were Nearly Lost
From one restored house to six living thatched homes — not museums, but places where memory continues through those who stay.
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Chapter ８-Making Thatched Houses Something Everyone Can Share
Preservation is not ownership — it is belonging. A thatched house lives when people share it, even for one night.
Learn MoreLong ago, the people of Miyama had already developed a blockchain system.
The Tanomoshiko system of Miyama — where villagers shared materials, labor, and recorded every exchange — was a centuries-old model of mutual aid and distributed trust.
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The Spirit of Autonomy Living in Miyama
The large triangular gables of Miyama’s thatched roofs may reflect a long tradition of local autonomy that quietly endured beyond the reach of central authority.
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Building the Future Together
Japanese thatching
