Sunday, February 16, 2014

Tatami Mats

Japanese used to live with tatami mats.  There is a well-used proverb, Okite Hanjou Nete Ichi-jou, which literally means that 'the space one uses is the size of half of a tatami mat when waking, and a tatami mat when sleeping'.  This means that whatever wealth you have, you only need such a small space for living.  Therefore, instead of demanding more, be content with what you have.

We measure the size of houses by thinking about how many tatami mats can fit in the space.  The unit used, 'jou' literally means a tatami mat.  An old Japanese house was just a tatami room and a small kitchen space beside or inside the room.  People used that tatami room for all the purposes of life: living, dining, cooking and sleeping.  

Tatami is made from igusa grass.  I love them although fewer houses have a tatami room these days in Japan because of changes in lifestyle.  My tiny flat in Tokyo was a tatami room.  I loved living there because the tatami room made it cool in summer and warm in winter.  Also, if I felt like taking a nap, I could just lie down on the floor as it was cushioned compared to normal flooring.

I can bring this comfort across the ocean and to your house!  You do not need any installation and can use like a foldable rug.  This will come soon but I show some of the photos before updating on the store!

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