Shikibutons: The Traditional Japanese Futon
The Oriental decor style of interior design is very popular, but many people are confused about what traditional furniture from that culture they can install in their home, while maintaining comfort. One of these type of furnishings is the Shikibuton, or traditional Japanese futon. What we call the futon mattress in the West is quite a bit different from what is used in Asian cultures.
Shikibutons are typically cotton or wool stuffed mattresses, approximately 3 inches thick. The color schemes available are many, but, traditionally, muted colors are used.
They are used at night as a mattress to sleep on, and then traditionally hung out to beat and air in the morning sun. Then, they can be rolled away or put somewhere for storage during the daytime. This allows the space in the room, which would normally be taken up by a bed and mattress set, to be used during the day.
An advantage of rolling it up and putting it away is that, when this is done, the fibers inside are stretched, which keeps the inside from clumping together. The shikibuton is also very easy to reposition, flip over, and clean.
These traditional mattresses are available in multiple sizes, matching the normal bedding sizes found in the West, such as twin, full and Queen sizes. So, though the shiki is an unconventional way of sleeping, any bedding that is already owned can be used to cover it.
While a shiki futon gives a nice, firm sleeping surface, they are not for people that require a plush or fluffy sleeping area. Since the betting lays close to the ground, as well, they would not be for people who have a difficult time getting out of bed.
However, it is possible to stack multiple shikibutons on top of each other, which will give an additional amount of comfort. This is not the way that they are used in many Asian cultures, but it could certainly be used this way. Combined with cotton for the interior material, this gives the potential for surprising amount of softness.
Other materials typically used in shikibutons sold in the West, include organic cotton fibers, latex, synthetic fibers, or wool. When laying the mattress down, a mattress pad can go underneath the covers to give additional softness.
Shikibutons are also easy to care for, with some types even being machine washable. They can be very easily aired out, and, since the mattress will be rotated and flipped regularly, there will be no parts of it that are more worn than others. This will increase the lifetime of it dramatically.
Purchasing a Japanese futon mattress would be a great first step in getting involved in the traditional Japanese style of decorating a home, and will allow you to take advantage of the many benefits that sleeping on a shiki futon can give.
