Sunday, April 26, 2009

No Bed to Sleep On

I don't know why this is only occurring to me now, but I realize that some people might not realize that we do not own a bed, and only very rarely (on business trips, in business hotels) sleep in a bed.

Most apartments and even houses are quite small here, and space is at a premium, so futons are ideal. Some Japanese, mainly families who own houses, will have beds, but anyone who lives in an apartment will most likely have futons, not a bed. Futons are (for me) very comfortable 'mats' that unfold and are put down in the tatami room for sleeping. In the morning, you fold them up and put them back in the closet. Of course, on sunny days, you might want to put them outside over the balcony for a few hours of air and sunshine, to dry out any humidity and prevent mold and bugs!

And for the record - I enjoy my futons and am happy not having a bed to sleep in!

1 comment:

Lyn said...

It's good that you like the futons. In our old age we not only like our bed but have added "memory foam" padding to make it all even more deluxe. We are wimpy Americans.