| |
|
 |
*** click to
enlarge any image *** |
Life on the Japanese Floor
 In
the West we sometimes hear that the Japanese live and sleep "on the floor" and
we wonder how such a life could be convenient or comfortable. In fact, the
Japanese do not live on the floor so much as they spend their life pleasantly
and comfortably upon tatami. Tatami are uniformly-sized reed
mats placed together within a room to provide a firm yet comfortable surface
upon which to sit, eat and sleep.
A room with
tatami matting is
referred to in Japan as a "Japanese room" or washitsu. In the past,
washitsu were the norm in every room of the house save the
earthen-floored doma where meal preparation and some work was performed.
In modern Japan most homes and apartments resemble western-style residences with
the exception that nearly every domicile will have at least one old style
washitsu room. Our own apartment in Shizuoka has a single washitsu
where my family and I relax in the evening and sleep every night. Japanese style futon
bedding is kept in the closet during the day in order to free the room's
precious space for daytime activities such as dining, the performance of
household chores and relaxing. Our tatami room is without question
the heart of our little home and life upon the reed matting a comfortable and
very Japanese way of living.
Research on tatami:
Nicholas Bornoff & Michael Freeman. "Things Japanese"
Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2002
| 
