Ikarashi worked as a farmer before his retirement. He had 4 children, 11 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. He enjoyed singing, ate three meals a day and had never suffered from any severe injury, except falling from a tree and breaking left foot at age 91, and did not drink alcohol and smoke (and believed that to be the secret to a long life). While being Japan's oldest man he was most bedridden. He died of pneumonia on 23 July 2013 aged 111 years, 178 days and was succeeded as Japan's oldest man by Sakari Momoi.