What is the name of a Japanese style bed?
There are many different names for Japanese-style beds: “futon”, “shikibaton”, and “tatami”. In fact, it is correct to use the term “tatami” as a European version of Japanese beds.
Shikibaton is a Japanese place to sleep, but involves sleeping on a mattress placed on the floor.
For the Japanese, shikibaton is just a mattress for sleeping on the floor
The Japanese use a futon as a mattress on which they sleep at night, and in the morning they put it away in the closet.
The Japanese use a futon as a thin mattress that they roll up after sleep.
Interesting! The Japanese suffer from spinal diseases 70% less than Europeans.
Tatami is a Japanese style bed
Decor
This style originated from a 1997 FRUiTS magazine article in which famous model Aki Kobayashi described and showed off her personal style. After this, girls all over Japan began to dress as unique and original as possible. The decor does not have clear canons, because the whole idea is uniqueness, but the image should be as flashy and shocking as possible.
Usually girls put on a huge amount of the brightest jewelry, hairpins, rivets, chains, choose bright neon colors of clothes, dye their hair in all the colors of the rainbow, tie soft toys to themselves and “hang” themselves with decor in every possible way.
How they sleep in Japan: the history of the traditional Japanese bed
The Japanese did not always sleep on tatami beds. It is known that in the 13th century, most of the country's inhabitants could only afford hard mats stuffed with straw. Futon mattresses appeared only in the 17th century. They were much softer (after all, they were stuffed with cotton and wool), but they cost a lot of money. Therefore, only the wealthiest residents of the country slept on them.
Futons began to be used en masse in the 19th century, when, due to the cheapening of cotton, the price of products made from it also decreased significantly.
Photo from the 19th century - this is how the Japanese slept before the popularization of tatami
Tatami appeared in the 17th century, then they were hard mats made of igus (reed) and filled with rice straw. They covered the entire room or a certain part of it. The most common option is to combine 4 tatami mats with a futon mattress on top. It was he who became the prototype for the manufacture of European versions of tatami beds.
Japanese style beds are based on the Japanese sleeping area - tatami mats plus futon mattress
Walls
In Japanese traditions, walls are often wooden frames covered with rice paper.
In our conditions, to maintain the color, wallpaper that matches the style is enough. The maximum imitation can be achieved by covering the walls with a suitable fabric and upholstering them with wooden slats.
Design Features
Modern Japanese-style beds differ from traditional Japanese ones, yet the traditions and life of Europeans are far from those that reign in the Land of the Rising Sun.
A modern Japanese-style bed is comfortable and beautiful
But, of course, there are similarities. Thus, modern Japanese beds meet a number of criteria. For convenience, we present them in a table.
| № | Criterion | Description |
| 1 | Height | Japanese beds are necessarily low, about 40 cm. This is perhaps the most important criterion, given that the Japanese can even sleep on the floor with a mattress. |
| 2 | Frame | Made from natural materials. Most often it is solid wood; it is also covered with natural leather or natural fabrics. |
| 3 | Legs | Short massive or absent. Sometimes the legs are installed not at the edges, but closer to the center, then an interesting “floating” effect is created. |
| 4 | Headboard | Laconic low or absent. The role of a headboard can be performed, for example, by a low bolster. |
| 5 | Sleeping area | Big. Even if one person sleeps on the bed, a Japanese bed will be one and a half to a double size. |
| 6 | Mattress | Quite hard, better orthopedic. This is important for health, which the Japanese care so much about. It’s good if the mattress is narrower than the width of the bed, so that there is free space around the perimeter. |
| 7 | Design | Simple, ascetic. Clear lines, right angles, lack of decor and subdued colors - all this distinguishes Japanese-style beds. |
On a note! If you see a wide, low bed of simple design, without unnecessary details or decoration, most likely you are looking at a Japanese tatami.
Japanese style bed - always low and wide
Light
The rooms are illuminated with natural soft light penetrating through the translucent washi in the partitions. Currently, paper is being replaced with frosted glass or plastic. With the shoji extended, the house is flooded with an abundance of sunlight.
There are simply no windows familiar to a European in a traditional Japanese house. Textile curtains will also be inappropriate. If windows open 24/7 cause discomfort, use sliding “Japanese style” curtain panels, as in the photo.
When lighting the bedroom, it is recommended to avoid overhead artificial light. For evening lighting, use the middle and bottom lines of the lamps. Twilight light should be hidden, diffused, and create a calm, contemplative atmosphere.
Paper lamps (akari) can hardly be called a light source. The simple design and dim glow are reminiscent of moonlight and rather than dissipate, rather emphasize the twilight. When choosing lampshades, avoid metal of European designs, give preference to natural ones: a bamboo frame combined with rice paper.
Choosing a mattress
Choosing the right mattress is important for any bed, but especially for a Japanese one. Typically, in such models, an orthopedic base is included, being an integral part of the bed.
It’s good if an orthopedic base or mattress is included
If you come across another option, then try to choose a mattress of a size so that it is slightly smaller than the bed. A “shelf” around the perimeter will help create a more precise stylistic design.
The mattress itself should be hard and, preferably, orthopedic. This will not only have a positive effect on the user’s health, but will also help better take into account the style of the East.
Interesting! The Japanese do not like large soft pillows; more often they use small elastic cushions. If you want to convey the style of the country as much as possible, it is advisable to take this fact into account.
Advantages and disadvantages
The popularity of Japanese-style low beds is due to its advantages :
- allows you to create an Oriental atmosphere in the bedroom;
- a design recognizable all over the world;
- health benefits (if the mattress is chosen correctly);
- stylistically universal - thanks to its discreet design, it will look appropriate in almost any bedroom, and not just in a Japanese-style room;
- massiveness and squatness are criteria that extend the service life of such models.
Japanese-style beds look impressive, despite their simplicity and laconism
Disadvantages:
- not recommended for older people, as it may be difficult for them to get up from a low bed;
- in the case of a low Japanese-style bed without legs, cleaning may be difficult - it will have to be moved aside and dusted if necessary.
Watch a video on how to make a Japanese tatami bed with your own hands:
Bedroom Decorations
There should be very few of them, so as not to turn an imitation of style into a lack of taste. The following would be appropriate:
- dwarf bonsai trees;
- ikebana;
- images of hieroglyphs;
- fans;
- floor vases;
- caskets;
- netsuke figures.
If all the walls in the bedroom are plain, one of them can be decorated with photo prints with traditional Japanese scenes - bamboo branches, flying cranes, cherry blossoms. The same motifs usually decorate screens. Mirrors should not be present in such a bedroom, as should any smooth shiny surfaces. Textures reminiscent of natural fabrics and paper are appropriate.
There are no windows as we understand them in Japanese homes; they are replaced by external partitions. Since you will still need curtains to decorate the windows in the bedroom, it is better to choose roller blinds of a suitable color. For the curtain material, you can use thick fabric or a woven mat. Japanese curtains are also suitable - straight sliding panels of fabric.
A bedroom decorated in this way will definitely give you a feeling of peace and tranquility, your sleep will be sound and calm, and your awakening will be cheerful and joyful.
Top 5 Japanese beds
Especially for those who are deciding how to choose a bed, we have prepared a selection of the best Japanese-style models.
Bonaldo
Bonaldo bed - for those looking for a one-and-a-half-size bed model
Bonaldo is a one-and-a-half-bed model from the DG-HOME brand. Designed for teenagers who want to sleep on a bed like a samurai. Japanese samurai often had only 3-4 hours of sleep to fully recuperate. And if they had the opportunity to sleep on Bonaldo, they would definitely succeed. A wide bed, an orthopedic base, and velor upholstery are factors that ensure maximum user comfort.
The support is the frame, that is, there are no legs. The model is low, with a low, simple headboard—everything as befits an Asian-style bed.
Esf-Elena
Bed Elena (Esf) - an elite model that seems to float in the air
Elena is a Japanese-style low double bed from the Spanish brand ESF. It is supported on supports hidden from prying eyes, which makes it seem as if it is floating above the floor.
The elite model is made of natural wood, individual elements are made of MDF. A hard orthopedic mattress is included in the package. The back is high and wide, but straight and restrained. There are bedside tables on both sides, where it will be convenient to place decorative elements in oriental style/
Squaring Basso
Squaring Basso is a designer model that harmoniously combines simplicity and luxury
Squaring Basso is another Japanese-style double bed from the DG-HOME brand. The design of the model was developed by Italian designer Giuseppe Vigano.
The frame is made of natural wood. On the top of the frame there is a removable upholstery made of natural cashmere and wool. The back is low, straight, made in the same style as the frame.
An orthopedic base 160*200 will provide a comfortable healthy sleep, and a recognizable Asian style will provide an Oriental atmosphere in your bedroom.
Extrasoft
Extrasoft is a model that embodies all the best features of Japanese beds
Extrasoft is one of the best Japanese-style beds from the DG-HOME brand. An ascetic model for those who value simple lines and comfort. It is made to order, so the user can choose the optimal materials, colors, size and even type of base.
In the basic version, the designer model comes in a wooden frame with beige fabric upholstery. The base is rigid, without a lifting mechanism and legs. Extrasoft combines all the features of Japanese beds: it is wide and low, without legs, with a flat, low headboard. The sleeping place is an order of magnitude narrower than the bed, so a fairly wide “shelf” is formed around the perimeter.
