Our Japanese Futons

When I am speaking of a futon that I can buy in the States that has a frame and doubles as a couch, I say FU-tawn. If I am speaking of one in Japan, I say fu-TONE. If you are familiar with Spanish, the vowels sounds in Japanese are the same, and only pronounced one way. The American version and Japanese version are two different, but similar, things.

We decided to not bring our American beds and mattresses, but instead to buy futons once we got here. Up until now, we have (as weird as this sounds) been sleeping on western style rental beds in our home in Japan. 

Our futon order finally arrived this week! We were super excited. Our futons are multiple layers of different things, for three different bedrooms, so there were ELEVEN BOXES! 😱

My husband made the order for our futons and this was my first attempt at an unboxing video, so please forgive my mistakes! I finally figured out how to upload a video that is longer.  

Papa P and I sleep in a tatami room, which has the traditional Japanese mat flooring. Here's all our stuff to make up our futon. The cream colored mattress pad wasn't part of it, it came off our western style bed. 

First thing down is a moisture barrier. Japan is a humid place. 

The mark on the barrier is actually a sensor,  which tells us when there is too much moisture and our futon needs to be aired out, AKA hung outside. There are, as Papa P described them, giant clothes pins to fasten the futon to the balcony. 

Next up is a mat that we chose to buy so that it would be a thicker bed than just the futon. When not in use, it actually folds up to a couch. 

I am sitting on it as I type on my phone.  

Next up, is the traditional futon. My understanding is that traditionally, it would be used by itself. 

Next, we decided to add a foam topper. 

Then we put on a mattress pad. This one is supposed to be cooling. 

Next is a fitted sheet. 

Last, we put the cover on our pillows and the futon (the comforter/duvet/blanket is also called a futon). For now, we'll actually be using a thin cooling blanket, but it was nice to see it all completed and put together! 

The layers, minus a few, the moisture barrier and the mat as well as the fitted sheet aren't pictured here. The bright white is the futon, the cream color is the foam topper, and the blue is the mattress pad.  

Here's where American-style futons and Japanese-style futons are similar: people in the States fold up the bed to make a couch.  Japanese people actually fold up their futons and put them away in the closet each day.  This keeps them from getting so much moisture trapped underneath as well as giving more living space.  Our mat turns into a couch, but not all do that, that was just a feature we thought was cool. C wanted a futon so he could have more room to play Virtual Reality without tripping or hitting anything.  Hopefully he will like the set up.  Our boys have not tried their new futons yet, as they have been away on a school retreat in the mountains.  

This morning I rearranged the closet quickly to try to put our futon away.  I didn't move enough stuff!  I'd have to clear out more of the bottom and REALLY reorganize in order to successfully put it completely away where we could close the closet doors.  We'll see if that is something I actually accomplish at some point.  For today, I am leaving it just where it is!