What Is A Futon Couch? Dimensions Of Futon Couch
What Is A Futon Couch?
A futon couch is a variation of the traditional Japanese futon bed, which can be folded and stored during the day for space utilization. Unlike the Japanese futon that is stored away, the futon couch can fold into a couch for sitting on a metal or wooden frame.
This Western invention is different from the traditional Japanese futon, which did not fold into a couch.
Futons have a rich cultural history in Japan, dating back centuries and serving as functional pieces of furniture designed for stowage and use on tatami mats.
The Western futon couch has several differences, including a frame that folds in the middle, resulting in a comfortable seating shape, and a thicker cushion with synthetic filling materials. Additionally, futon couches are typically larger to accommodate both sleeping and sitting and feature a slipcover for easy cleaning.
Futon couches come in various sizes and prices, depending on the cushion and frame quality. The frame can be made of metal, wood, or a combination, but the quality varies by manufacturer and price point.
Some futon couches are cheap but flimsy, while others are well-constructed and serve as an attractive pieces of furniture for a living room or bedroom.
History And Materials Of Futon Couch
In Japan, prior to the availability of recycled cotton cloth, commoners used kami busuma, which were crinkled paper stuffed with fibers derived from beaten dry straw, cattails, or silk waste and used as cushioning on mushiro straw floor mats.
Later on, futons were made using patchwork recycled cotton, stitched together and filled with bast fiber or cotton.
Today, wool and synthetic materials are also used in futon production. Yogi, or kimono-shaped bedclothes, were used in the 1800s and early 1900s but have since been replaced by rectangular kakebutons, which come in a variety of materials, with some being warmer than others.
The traditional sakura, or Japanese pillows, are firmer compared to western pillows and can be filled with materials like beans, buckwheat chaff, bran, or plastic beads, all of which conform to the shape of the head. Some women in the past also used wooden headrests to protect their hairstyles.
Dimensions Of Futon Couch
Futons, a type of traditional Japanese bedding, are placed on tatami mats. Tatami mats are moisture-absorbent, made of rush material, and measure nearly 2 by 1 meters, the same size as a standard twin bed in the West.
The shikibuton, the main component of a futon, is also the size of a twin bed and typically 2 to 3 inches thick, comparable to a Western mattress topper. In some cases, multiple shikibutons may be stacked for added thickness.
Kakebutons, another component of a futon, can be wider and have varying thicknesses. These beddings can be adjusted depending on the weather, either with a warm mōfu or a lighter taoruketto. Finally, the traditional makura, the pillow in a futon, is usually smaller in size compared to Western pillows.
