Tatami Mats are a type of mats used as flooring materials in traditional and typical Japanese style rooms. Usually tatami mats are made of rice straw which forms its core but nowadays other materials like polystyrene foam and compressed wooden chip boards are also being used to make the cores of tatami mats. The covering to tatami mats is often made of soft woven rush straw. Tatami mats are usually made in standard sizes only. The length is always twice the width as the aspect ratio of tatami mats is kept 2:1. On the longer sides, tatami mats have an edging of brocade or simple plain cloth at times. There are also varieties of tatami mats available which simply have no edgings.
Mats are made from rice straw and so they have a particular greenish colour, which fades over time. They have a soft tactile texture which feels amazing on touch with bare feet.
History
Tatami mats were first introduced somewhere in the 16th century. Initially they were used as coverings for dirt floors in ancient Japanese homes.Tatami doko is a core part of the tatami mats. These were considered luxury items for the old nobility. During the Heian reign, the shinden-zukuri style of architecture dominated. The rooms were made in palatial designs with wooden flooring and tatami mats were used as seating arrangements for the highest degree of aristocrats of the era. From here tatami mats spread as coverings used for the entire rooms rather than just seating arrangements.
The use of tatami mats by the ordinary people in Japan began somewhere in the 17th century. Today instead of tatami mats, traditional architectures in Japan use tatami floorings as an alternative.
Use of tatami mats
Tatami mats have now been around for many centuries. They evolved from simple rice straw mats which were commonly found in Asia to modern flooring solutions. Tatami mats are often used today instead of fabric or other types of floor mats. These eco-friendly mats have also become a very green product, preferred by all those who live with the concept of an eco home.
Tatami mats have quickly taken the place of rugs in today’s modern world and are very popularly used. They can be utilised alone, or at times act as a surface to put zabuton or futons on top as well. They are also used outdoors as they don’t harm the grass below because of its natural manufacturing materials.
In ancient Japan, tatami mats were used in temples, shrines and as seating places for the highest level of aristocrats of the era. Today they are used as simple sitting mats, and are a very sleek and a minimal approach to interior décor. To make any room appear more spacious and feel lighter, these mats are considered a great option. Japanese also use tatami extensively for martial arts practice or other indoor sports. Tatami can be used over carpets as well. People find various décor uses for these mats.
Japanese have found a way of introducing tatami inside their shoes, sandals and even their clothing.
Tatami mats are available in a number of sizes and varieties in the market. Tatami mats are very eco and healthy friendly, affordable and excellent floor covering options over hard surfaces or carpets as well.
Cleaning the mat.
Whether you purchase the Goza or the Igusa tatami mat, do not worry about how to clean the tatami mats. Tatami mats are the invention of the most ancient culture with the emphasis on simplicity. They require the least amount of care.
Why tatami mats?
There are a lot of benefits attributed to tatami mats. The inner core of the tatami mats, made from rice straw pressed tight has a lot of air pockets in it. This therefore makes it an effective item for absorbing heat. According to Japanese scholars, an ordinary tatami mat can actually absorb about 500cc of water present in the air. When the atmosphere of the place tatami mats are placed in happens to be dry, the water in the mats naturally evaporates. This means tatami mats are highly hydroscopic, meaning they absorb moisture during high humidity and discharge moisture when the air happens to be dry. They are also natural insulators and they keep the rooms cool in the summers and warm during the winters. Tatami mats also help in cleaning the air by absorbing all nitrogen dioxide in the room they are placed in. also this phenomena of the tatami mats helps in preventing mold proliferation.
According to ancient Japanese traditions tatami mats and their laying patterns can also bring good or bad fortune to the owners. It is said that one should always avoid putting tatami mats in a grid pattern as they bring bad luck. A lot of shops in Japan designed their structures in such a way that they equaled the length of about five and a half tatami mats which was said to bring about a lot of good fortune, no matter what business one happened to be in.
Moreover tatami mats are also an eco responsible investment. They are made from 100% natural materials and they don’t even require cutting down of tress as well. It only takes one season to grow rice plants which are used in the manufacturing of tatami mats. Old tatami mats are reused to create new ones and the straw core usually lasts for about 30 years or more.
Health benefits
Tatami mats are made of soft reed and according to ancient Chinese medicine, they have spiritual calming abilities. Also, the natural smell coming from tatami mats soothes the mind and helps in relaxing the body.
Sleeping on futons placed on tatami mats is excellent for the back. As compared to mattresses which often are too soft, tatami mats are relatively firm, and this helps to maintain a correct position while one is sleeping. This reduces the tension in vertebral columns, joints and muscles.
Walking barefoot on tatami mats is not only very enjoyable, but it is also great for health. The soft natural texture of tatami mats eases the strain which the lower limbs endure throughout the day.
Tatami Beds
Tatami beds have an important cultural dimension in Japan. However, that’s just not it about them. They have some practical advantages as well. And for this reason, they have become all too prevalent throughout the world.
Why sleep on a tatami bed?
Sleeping on tatami beds is perfect for the back. They are not like the western style beds which use mattresses on them. Tatami beds are firm whereas modern mattresses are usually very soft and therefore trouble the back. The relative firmness of the tatami beds help to maintain a correct posture while one is sleeping. This correct position also helps with the pain and tension in muscles, joints and also the vertebral columns in the back.
Tatami beds which are made of rush straw and igusa have a relaxing affect similar to aromatherapy. Therefore sleeping on tatami beds make a person more relaxed and induces a good night’s sleep. Rooms where tatami mats are placed are purified of carbon dioxide naturally which is therefore great for health as well.
While one sleeps on a tatami bed, the heat and humidity from the body is absorbed into the tatami bed automatically. This makes a person more refreshed when he/she wakes up the next day.
Benefits of tatami beds
Rooms where tatami beds are kept have more fresher and lighter ambiance as compared to other places. The tatami beds absorb the heat and humidity in the air and release out excessive during the day so they kind of maintain a balance in the atmosphere of the room by keeping it cool in summers and warm in winters.
Also since tatami beds are thicker, they are ideal for heat and phonic isolation. The straws which are tightly laced in the core of the tatami mats delays the diffusion of heat in the atmosphere. Also the pipes of the mat confine the air and they provide a phonic isolation of a type by absorbing all kinds of vibrations.
The best thing about tatami beds is that they are made of natural materials and are very sustainable. The straw padding done in an average tatami mat can last for about thirty years and more. No chemical treatment is required during the manufacturing of tatami mats which makes them entirely healthy and very eco-friendly.
Tatami Mats Benefits
Tatami mats have deep roots in ancient Japanese culture since the 16th century. In ancient Japanese culture, tatami mats were used as luxury items by the nobility and the highest of aristocrats in the era.
Before tatami, simple mats made of straw were used for sleeping. Tatami emerged in a quest for peace and comfort while one slept. Rush was used in place of grass, and the mats were made thicker, giving birth to tatami eventually.
Common uses
Tatami mats are used commonly across the world now. Although they originated from Japan, somewhere in the 16th century, tatami has become a very common and very popular flooring option. Tatami flooring is considered by all those who want a more eco-friendly and sustainable option to flooring at their homes and offices.
Beds made from tatami are considered to be a great option for all those suffering from back pain. The firmness of tatami mats helps reduce strain in lower back, muscles, joins and vertebra.
Tatami mats are also used to reduce strain in lower limbs as they have properties which absorbs the extra strain when one walks barefoot on them. Tatami mats happen to be an ideal choice for all those practicing yoga. The ultimate purpose of yoga is to help a person relax. The natural capabilities of tatami mats, when it comes to absorbing heat and humidity from the body as well as the surroundings, make them an ideal option to be used as yoga mats.
Tatami is greatly being used in interior décor today. In rooms where the interior decorator wants to create a spacious look and give out a very light feel, tatami mats are used as a great option. They are not only eco friendly but also very sustainable flooring options as the core of a tatami mat does not grow old for three straight decades.
Homes and offices
Tatami mats are very lasting and durable. For this reason, they are extensively used as décor items in homes and offices. You will find a lot of tatami mats used in place of regular table mats to throw in a touch of Asian culture in homes and offices.
Home décor
Tatami mats have taken the place of rugs and usual mats and are also being treated as eco-friendly alternatives for rugs.
Tatami mats are being used extensively as home décor items. Although traditionally they happen to be straw mats with a solid place in traditional Japanese culture, their softness and light texture and of course their durability have made them an ideal flooring option for homes.
People are now opting for more and more tatami rooms in their homes where tatami mats are spread as flooring inside the room and as seating arrangements. These rooms are then used for entertaining guests and small tea ceremonies.
Hanging displays
Tatami mats are now widely used for hanging displays. They are hung on the walls just like a patterned rug or quilt will be mounted, but tatami mats show quite tones and beautiful textures and also add to the ambience of the room.
A lot of tatami mats are made and used as pottery decoration and as carrying trays.
Artists have taken to using tatami mats for exquisite paintings and craftwork display surfaces. Home décor items made on tatami mats are available readily in the market. However since tatami mats are handmade, the price of tatami mats and their décor items is quite high as compared to other everyday items.