From its early adoption into our Western culture, the traditional Japanese futon mattress has been a big hit. There were times when the futon was more of a fad than anything else. We had a time when home design and decorating were following an Asian-inspired theme. Some people have still held on to this design element and have taken their modern home designs in this direction even further, embracing the philosophies of Feng Shui and the like. This concept reflects the fact that there is an energy in all spaces, chi or qi, and that this energy must flow properly in order for your home to be balanced and harmonious. If there is a blockage of the chi, then it will reflect itself in various ways inside your home.
A futon bed is only part of this larger philosophy. You see, there was a time when the futon could be used to distinguish class and the ruling parties. The traditional Japanese platform bed consists of two parts: the kake and shiki futon. Each of these works to create one whole sleeping system. The shiki futon is the mattress portion of the bed and the kake portion is the upper, often quilted portion. In the past, the ruling class would be the only ones with the plush kake futons. The lower classes could only sleep on the kake and would do so on the floor, often without mats. The tatami mat was another class distinction feature. Well, those class distinctions have been abolished, but there is still a history of this great sleeping option.
In our culture, the futon mattress is not treated in this same way. We see it as a much more functional form of extra seating or as a convertible sofa couch type of item. We have these larger and thicker mattresses with wooden or metal frames. The frames often have armrests or other storage features. These are definitely a far cry from the traditional styles of futons used in the East. We have adopted an ancient sleeping system and made it our own.
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