For three generations, the Morita family has been wrapping, stitching and trimming modular blocks of woven grass, known as tatami, in Tokyo's old downtown. But now, beset by cheap knockoffs and ...

In the U.S., sleeping on the floor is usually a last resort, but in Japan, it's a centuries-old tradition that has now made its way over to the West. Tatami mats are used instead of a bed frame ...

Zulkarnain Bin Hasan Basri prays on an "inori" tatami prayer mat in Osaka's Sumiyoshi Ward on Oct. 30, 2023. (Mainichi/Aya Kimura) OSAKA -- A Kyoto-based tatami mat trading company has launched a ...

KYOTO--With demand for tatami plunging in Japan, a specialized trading firm here is eyeing a potential market of 2 billion people for the traditional mats. The company is selling tatami mats that ...

Tatami mats are a unique aspect of Japanese culture. Made of woven straw, filled with a soft material (traditionally rice straw, but nowadays foam), and bordered with beautifully-patterned cloth, ...

A fifth-generation tatami craftsman near Nagoya, Japan is bucking tradition. Tatami, or a woven straw grass mat, is a symbol of Japan’s storied past. Usually laid down in square or rectangle patterns ...