Tatami mats are traditional Japanese portable flooring surfaces, with a history dating back centuries. Although at one time the tatami mat was the most common floor surface in Japanese dwellings, modern-day Japanese use them largely for religious or tea-making ceremonies. Tatami mats also fit well into contemporary-style rooms in Western homes.
History
The tatami mat originated from simple grass sleeping mats. As the mats took on greater luxury, their fabric and construction indicated the owner's wealth and status. Beginning in the 15th and 16th centuries, the tatami mat's use was extended to flooring. Eventually the mats made their way into ordinary Japanese homes, where a special room called a "washitsu" might be used to entertain guests. Traditionally, Japanese rooms were measured by the number of tatami mats the space held.
Identification
Tatami mats consist of three parts: a reed or rush covering, a straw core and a decorative cloth edging. The "omote" or surface of the mat is made from thousands of rushes tightly woven together with hemp or cotton string. The "goto" or core of the mat is made of rice straw, which is heated and compressed. A "beri" or brocade fabric decorates the border of the mat.
Sizes
Traditionally, tatami mat size was determined by the "shaku," an old Japanese measurement based on the distance between two growth nodes on a bamboo -- approximately 30.3 cm, or nearly 12 inches. Formats for tatami mats vary by region, and include "Honma" or "Kyoma," based on 6.3 shaku and covering 19.64 square feet; "Roku Ichima," 6.1 shaku, covering 18.382; "Chukenma," 6 shaku, covering 17.7856 square feet; and "Go-Hachima" or "Edoma," 5 shaku, covering 16.632 square feet. "Chashitsu Kirikomi," based 1.4 shaku and covering nearly 2 square feet, is the size usually found in Japanese tea rooms. The mats usually measure between 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. A full size tatami mat can weigh up to 66 lbs.
Uses
Although tatami mats are not as durable as carpeting or hardwood flooring for areas which receive high traffic, they are useful if placed in an area where shoes are set aside. They make a good flooring surface for a meditation, yoga or other exercise room. The mats can lend a tranquil, relaxed feeling to interior rooms used in massage studios, and chiropractic or other health-related businesses.
Care
The Oriental Furniture website states that tatami mats require special care. They are not intended for use in a room where people wear shoes. To keep dirt from becoming ground in to the mat's covering, you should sweep, vacuum or wipe it clean every few days.
