Ikeda is the homeroom teacher for Asuna Watase at Mizonofuchi Elementary School in Nagano. On July 12, while overseeing the distribution of test results, she personally congratulated Asuna on her good score. That same day, she cautioned her class about recent bear sightings in the Obuchi region. The next day, July 13, Ikeda announced the start of her maternity leave and introduced Ryuji Morisaki as her substitute. She again issued a warning about a bear, this time sighted near Obuchi Bridge. Ikeda is a caring and nurturing educator who maintains a close awareness of her students' well-being. Her surname, Ikeda, derives from the characters for "pool, pond" (池) and "field, rice paddy" (田).