Traditionally, Japanese futons are placed in a room lined with tatami flooring. A family would usually sleep in one room together, each person in their own futon. In the morning, the futons would be stored in a cupboard so the room could be used for eating, hobbies and other activities. Over time, things change. But do they?

Our authentic Japanese futons are available worldwide and you can sleep on one in your own home in the UK, Europe, or anywhere! You can also use them in temporary spaces or non-traditional homes.

Of course, you can use a Japanese futon in the traditional way, with a tatami floor or tatami mat beneath. But did you know our futons can be used in a multitude of ways and in many places for added comfort while sleeping?

Our workshop specialises in making custom sized futons, in addition to our standard sizes, available on the web shop. We have customers all over the globe wanting a better night sleep. So, we offer the best night sleep to people on boats, in camper vans or trucks, in tiny homes, in your guest room or even on top of a western mattress or convertible sofa bed.

In the UK and parts of Europe, canal boat living has become very popular. The beds on boats can be lacklustre. But when you think outside the boat, there are ways to adjust your comfort and feel like you got your 8 hours sleeping on a cloud. That’s where our family at the workshop come in to save the night. The featured image is one such custom futon bed we made for a canal boat in the UK, appropriately in Kawa Red, kawa meaning “river” in Japanese.

Camper van travelling is also very popular in many parts of the world. If you want a good night sleep, a sleeping bag just isn’t going to cut it. You can get a custom size bed to fill out the space perfectly for a more restful night of sleep.

Long haul truckers could also benefit from a Japanese futon. These guys and gals actually have sleeping cabins in their rigs which are like temples to them. They like to keep them cozy and neat for a good night of sleep. A futon could certainly add some well-deserved comfort in those sleeping compartments.

The tiny-house (also known as tiny-home or compact housing) movement is an architectural and social development that promotes the reduction and simplification of living spaces. To be classed as a tiny-home there is no more than 400-square feet / 37-square metres of floorspace. Queue the futon for easy put away during the day to free up space for other activities.

A Japanese futon makes for an excellent spare bed option. Maybe you don’t have an actual spare bedroom, but you often have guests spending a night or two. The pull-out sofa is never a great night sleep in my opinion, with the springs and bars poking you everywhere. Not to mention they are HEAVY to move around. Why not use a futon instead? Or use the futon for extra padding on top of a pull-out sofa for added comfort. You can even use a futon as a topper on a Western style mattress to make it more comfortable and healthier.

Maybe you want a comfortable sitting area on a long bench, you want to make your own custom sofa, or you like a day bed … futons would be ideal in these situations, as well. Zabuton could be another great option to use as a seat cushion, a floor cushion or extra throw pillows. Although Japanese futons are authentic and have hundreds of years of history, they are super adaptable to modern day life and living situations.

Japanese futons are perfect to fold or roll up and put away when not in use to make a bit of space for, well, something else! They are also the most natural bed available. No chemicals, pesticides or foams – just cotton. The issue with many Western-style mattresses is that the fire-retardant materials and foams are all made from chemicals that off gas and deteriorate – usually they are ineffective after about 2 years. Additionally, you breathe in all of the “off gas” for 8 hours while you sleep. Ewwwww. Does that sound like a healthy sleeping option to you? I didn’t think so.

So, the next time you are looking to upgrade your sleep situation, or you want to give your guests an excellent sleeping option, why not consider a Japanese futon? Your self, friends and family will thank you! Arigatō!