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A tatami tye sir? Or perhaps a mat to lay down on.
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What is Tatami
Tatami meaning folded and piled are a traditional Japanese type of flooring. In the ancient period, 7-12c, there was no tatami that was similiar to todays style of tatami. Rather, they were simple sleeping mats; cushions with straw mats to sit upon. During the Heian period (794-1185) in *shinden-zukuri 寝殿造 mansions, individual straw mats were common among the nobility. They were then stored when not in use. The Kamakura period (1185-1333), was when the mats were then being laid throughout the entire floor area. In later years, during the Muromachi period (1392-1568), tatami mats were set closely together, and gradually became common. They were called shikidatami 敷畳 in contrast to okidatami 置畳 a single mat like cushion. A person's social status could be easily recognized by the thickness of the mats, as well as the colour and pattern around the border. Tatami makers, for years have found the increase popularity of Westernisation within buildings has led to a decrease of tatami matting. But all seems to be not lost. Tatami producers in Japan are now trying to capitalise on the trend of a traditional home lifestyle - with dining room to the living room and bedroom. New houses or apartments which are being built tend to only have one room or none at all - western style rooms are far more trendy. This is a far cry from the more traditional homes where the entire floor was covered with tatami. Shipments of tatami have been dropping, and in the last decade the number of tatami stores has almost been halved to about 12,000. Kumamoto Prefecture used to account for 90 percent of the domestic production of rush, the main material used to make tatami. However, due partially to the influx of low-priced rush from China, the number of farm households growing the plant for mats had nose dived to about 800 last year from about 10,000 in 1975, according to the Kumamoto Prefectural Government. Various efforts are under way to revive the industry. Riding on a back-to-Japanese boom, a tatami rental conference room opened in a shopping-amusement area in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, last October. Named the "conference in tatami," it has a sizable tatami room equipped with light fixtures and square-shaped cushions made of "washi" paper. To evoke a relaxed atmosphere at conferences or consultations, users of the meeting room are provided with burning incense and green tea. People in real estate say consumers are rediscovering the tatami. Tatami mats are great to lie down on when people are tired and can make a room highly multifunctional - whether it is a bedroom, dining room, living room or a space to relax. About 5 million such mats have been sold in the past few years. The Japan Tatami Industry Promotion Association, based in Kyoto, is striving to restructure the industry. By changing the image that tatami is obsolete will help to encourage further purchases. In addition, new market development has been increased with various prototypes of a necktie, guitar, car seats and even a toilet cover. A tatami firm called TTN Corp, assisted in increasing sales by introducing a 24 hour operation serving hotels and pubs who wished to renew their tatami mats in the middle of the night. The 24 concept grew in demand from when business was slow. In Yamagata Prefecture, tatami manufacturers themselves have launched their own study group to improve the industry. Yoshiaki Kagami, president of Kagami Tatami in Sagae, Yamagata Prefecture, started up the group in October to explore using pesticide-free rush to produce tatami mats. Manufacturers from 10 stores in various parts of the country, including Miyagi, Chiba and Ishikawa prefectures, have joined the group. If further developments - whether in production, supply and modifying styles, Tatami mats may not be around within the next 50 - 100 years time. Ngaire Takano has been dealing with Japan for the last 22 years. Her experience has included linving within traditional japanese houses where tatami flooring was used on a daily basis - bedroom, dining room and living rooms were all tatami. Other information has been gathered from Japan Times and Wikipedia. |
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