Here at Solid Custom Heirlooms we receive a lot of requests for Japanese style platform beds. Customers tell us they love the clean lines, simple mattresses and overall traditional look of these beds. We’re exploring commonly-asked questions about Japanese Platform Beds (check out our platform beds)including mattress types, comfort and style.
Japanese Platform Beds are most often called a Tatami Bed because they provide a platform bed frame for a traditional Japanese Tatami Mat.
A Tatami Mat is a Japanese style of low-profile bedding traditionally made from Rush Grass woven around a Rice Hull core. Today Tatami Mats are made from a variety of different materials that can vary in thickness from very thin to several inches thick. Tatami Mats are very firm and provide little to no cushion for the sleeper. While traditionally used on the floor Tatami Mats are also often used in a platform bed frame to raise the mat up off the floor, keeping the bed clean and organized.
Tatami Mats can be used with all heights of Platform Beds if the bed provides a supportive surface for the mat. Because the Mat itself is not rigid, Tatami beds must have a strong, flat base platform to support the Mat and in turn the sleepers.
Most often Tatami Mats are used with low platform beds without legs that are 6-12 inches to the floor for a traditional look.
A Japanese Futon, also known as a Japanese Floor Mattress, is thicker and softer than a Tatami Mat – often 12-18 inches thick. Traditionally filled with straw, modern Futons are filled with cotton, latex or other soft padding materials. The best Japanese Futons will be made from natural, organic materials that keep them both comfortable and lightweight.
A Futon is softer and thicker that a Tatami Mat, while still much firmer than a traditional American Mattress.
A Futon can be used on the floor or a platform bed base. Just like a Tatami mat, a Futon base must be strong enough to support the Futon because it has little or no structural rigidity.
Because they are flexible, Futons can also be used with other types of furniture bases to make them function as a chair, couch or day bed. Futons are popular with people that live in small spaces because with the right base they can be converted easily from a sitting couch to a flat sleeping surface.
When discussing the pros and cons of Japanese Platform Beds with our customers, comfort is always an important question to consider. Comfort is highly dependent on an individual person’s preferences, and we always suggest that you either try the mattress before buying or in the case of online-only mattress companies, choose a brand with a generous return policy.
A Tamami Bed is best for people that enjoy an extremely firm sleeping platform. People who sleep on their back report that a Tatami bed helps to align their spine and improve their overall circulation. The flat, firm surface also encourages healthy airflow around the sleeper
Traditional Tatami mats made from natural Rush Grass and Rice Hulls have a distinctive smell that encourages restful sleep. Many customers report that sleeping on these natural materials promotes excellent sleep.
A Futon is best for people who enjoy a firm mattress, but still would like something softer than a Tatami Mat.
The best Japanese Futons will be made from natural, organic materials that keep them both comfortable and lightweight. Customers should avoid low cost futons made with cheap materials that often release chemical fumes for weeks if not months after purchase. Beds made from American Hardwood are best!
A Zen Platform Bed, also known as a Japanese Platform Bed, is traditional low wooden bed most often used with a Tatami Mat or Japanese Futon mattress. It is constructed of natural materials such as a hardwood frame and sometimes uses traditional Japanese joinery techniques.
