Okay so to start off, i am american. Growing up i always slept on “palates” or “nests” on the floor consisting of a few thick comforters/blankets a cover and some pillows. Loved it. Now, i can never be comfortable in a normal bed and tend to sleep on couches chairs or floor. Also i cant STAND the massive amount of dead space standard beds have. My bedroom doubles as a workspace/craft space so having this massive thing in 80% of the area is insufferable.
1. Do japanese folks actually pay the prices im seeing online for futons!? Im seeing sets for lowest $300USD going as far up as $2,000USD, and i just want to know if theyre upselling the aesthetic, if its actually that price, or if im just not using the right terminology.
2. Im seeing several terms for different beds, some with a futon on a folded frame, some being a tatami style 3 segment fold up mattress, and some actual mattress looking beds, which one is the one that resembles something of a sleeping bag- but with more padding?
3. I have pets, what covers/sheets/ storage options does everyone use other than a closet to keep it clean?
4. Is it worth it? Ive been sleeping on the floor again the past few weeks and im getting terrible pressure points in my shoulder and hip if i sleep on my side, but i smother if im fully straight on my back, but ive noticed SIGNIFICANTLY less lower back pain since i started doing this again.
5. Would i be better off with a twin or full size daybed? I am 5″5′
7 comments
The futons I bought in Japan were less than $100, I think. I can’t imagine what could possibly go into a $2000 futon to make it worth it.
“Futon” in English has a different meaning in English than it does in Japanese though – a futon is just the thin mattress that you lay on the floor, and you can roll it up. The couch-things or anything with a frame are, afaik, not what Japanese people would call a futon.
The most important thing with a futon is hanging it somewhere to dry, because you sweat at night and it will go moldy otherwise.
Worth it? Mm, dunno. If you’re a back-sleeper it’s pretty good, probably. It was very good for the tiny Tokyo flat I had – but I wouldn’t say I miss it.
outside of japan, $300~$800 is a pretty standard price since the exact type of blanket slash mattress isn’t replicable by anything else. (i’m specifically referring to a one piece that is rollable/storable and is also comfortable – sleeping bags are pretty inferior unless you’re also shelling out $1000+)
they’re extremely heavy to ship so i’d imagine that inflats costs as well. it’s just a standard thing in japan and therefore the costs are much lower, and they’re not usually shipping it cross country/continent.
i had a futon set up in a tiny studio apartment (not in japan) for about a year & it worked well in that environment but does require a lot of upkeep. you’re going to need to beat it/hang it up often, especially more with pets. it’s not recommended to slap them on the floor without a cover or a tatami mat since they can accrue mold/dirt faster. you can find covers & cupboard mats for them at japanese convenience stores (ie. daiso) or use moisture-wicking cupboard liners. in general, housing outside east asia isn’t well suited to it & it’s mostly less hassle to have a normal bed, which is what i converted back to once i had more room. you also have to have the discipline to roll it up & remake your bed each night, otherwise the space it occupies is pretty similar to a conventional bed.
in terms of comfort, i definitely like stiffer mattresses which helped – i knew a friend who sleeps on her stomach and found it pretty uncomfortable on a futon for an extended amount of time. you can get thicker/fluffier futons but it’ll be more pricey and may become too warm in the summer.
if you get a japanese style futon I would also get a wooden bifold sunoko to go with it. it keeps it off the ground and helps keep you cool while sleeping, provides airflow so it doesn’t mold, and folds up and dries it while storing it when you aren’t using it.
Looking for a cheap set right now bro, where did you see that $300 one? They are so freaking expensive everywhere and I need to get them shipped all the way down to Costa Rica, TIA
The kind of floor under a futon matters, at least for “normal” priced futon. on a hardwood floor it’s not great, but on tatami it becomes comfortable as the tatami itself has some squish. keep that in mind too.
tbh I bought a (japanese) futon off Amazon (the US version) for like $115 and have been sleeping on it since 2020. I use a sheet that I wash regularly and I regularly prop it up like a ^ symbol and use a fan to “dry” it (I know it’s not the same as sunlight and wind, but my balcony doesn’t get direct sunlight… :|).
I probably won’t go back to a regular bed ever, unless a future partner is adamant. Beds are big, expensive, and not portable. All the things I love about my futon!
Also, I had a temporary guest for a few months and I bought a spare trifold mattress (another futon-adjacent bedding thing that is common to layer with a futon) and they didn’t mind it at all.
I bought a double-filled futon because it was my first and I was nervous about disliking the firmess, but honestly, I like it a lot. I tend to nest anyways, so I have a lot of stuff going on in my bed to distract me from any slight discomfort. Definitely encourages back sleeping.
Current “for the time being” set-up I have is a thin tri-fold mattress on top of some joint mats. Sunoko and “proper futon” coming soon though.
Huge space improvement over the single bed I used to have, especially since the bedroom in my new apartment is narrower than the previous one. I had terrible back problems since the springs in the middle of the bed were worn out and with all the staying at home post-2020, I’d spend most waking hours either sitting on the bed (near the dented part) or in my desk chair, which only made things worse.
I’m slowly getting back some mobility and flexibility now with all the getting up off the floor.
Only way I could see going back to a bed is if the frame had some kind of storage options built into it to offset all the space it would take up. I am also 5′ 5″ (on a good day).