posted by John Spacey, July 04, 2012 Sometimes Japan likes to keep things simple. Case in point: Japanese futon beds. They may not look impressive but they're much adored in Japan.Bed Culture Shock After a long day of onsen, touring temples or urban exploring you return to your room — and more culture shock.Most hotels in Japan have western style beds. Ryokan, minshuku and hostels may have Japanese futon.Japanese futon are thin. This means they're effectively harder than a firm western mattress.Locals will tell you that a soft bed makes your body soft. Futon are thought to be good for body and mind. You won't catch a Japanese monk sleeping on a fluffy bed.Luckily, most foreign travellers enjoy futon and report an excellent night's sleep. The Futon LandscapeFuton must be aired out in sunlight on a regular basis to prevent them from becoming moldy.As a result of futon culture, buildings in Japan never have a regulation against hanging clothes and beds from windows. The Japanese sense of mottainai means that most people prefer drying their clothes by hanging them.
Japan's urban landscape is a sea of futons on sunny days.Many people beat their futon with a special bamboo stick called a futon tataki to shake the dust off. In rainy season, there aren't many nice days to air out your futon. Some people own futon dryers for such occasions.Futon EtiquetteFutons should be folded up and put away in the morning. This prevents them from molding. It also frees up space for use during the day.If you stay at a ryokan you can leave your futon in the morning — someone will fold it for you. Many guests fold it themselves out of habit or to free space.If you're a guest at someone's home it's considered good manners to fold your own futon in the morning. Japanese homes have special deep closets for futon. However, as a guest it's best to fold it and leave it in a corner of the room out of the way.Futon Terms to KnowIn Japan, both the futon mattress and futon comforter (blanket) can be referred to as "futon". Other terms to be aware of include:ShikibutonA mat that sits on top of the futon mattress.
It's usually stuffed with cotton, wool or synthetic fiber.As mentioned, this can also be called a "futon". The comforter cover often has a net that allows air to flow through on one side. This side should always face up.MakuraA small pillow that's often filled with beans or foam.TatamiTatami are traditional Japanese mat flooring. In Japan, the type of bed you get is driven by the type of flooring you have. Futon are for tatami. Western style beds are used on western style flooring.ZabutonZabuton are thin mats for sitting on. They are often thrown by angry fans at sumo matches. 17 Classic Features of Japanese Houses Tatami: Japan's Love Affair With Sleeping On The Floor What is a Shoji Screen? 27 Tips For Renting An Apartment in Japan 16 Traditional Japanese Fashions Tokyo Weather By Month: When Is Best To Visit? Recently on Japan Talk What is a Gokon? Prearranged parties in Japan that have an equal number of men and women. Benzaiten: Japanese Goddess of Love
The goddess of everything that flows including water, music, words, eloquence and love. Meet the Gods: 13 Japanese Kami There are said to be eight million kami. Kami can be good or bad. They can be incredibly powerful or relatively benign. What is a Miyamairi? A rite of passage for newborn babies in Japan — their first visit to a shrine. 102 Things To Try In Japan 104 Things To Do In Kyoto 81 Interesting Cities In Japan 67 Reasons You Won't Like Japan 30 Things To Do In Japan At Night 127 Things To Do In Japan(Image credit: The Sofa Bed Store) I've slept on a lot sofa beds and sleeper sofas in my day and the one really good thing I can tell you is how much better the technology around them has gotten over the years. Forget what you always knew about sofa beds, because you actually can get a good night's sleep and have a stylish sofa these days. So, without further ado, here are our 15 picks for 2016. (And, please leave your review for these or others in the comments.)
IKEA always does a great job holding down the low end of this category. The Manstad and Moheda used to be a favorite, but we can't get them anymore, and folks turned on the Karlstad (which looks great), so the current favorite is this very well priced corner sofa, which comes with extra storage for all the bedding. Apartment Therapy reader Serendipity1110 says, "We bought FRIHETEN about a year ago just after it was available. It was the cheapest of the prettier sleeper sofas at IKEA (and here in Germany much cheaper than in the US!) We've had tons of guests sleep on it, some even for more than a week, and everyone loved it and said how comfortable it is." Adeline Storage Sleeper Sofa This may not be a super sophisticated sleeper, but it has a great price, lots of style and some believers. Reader Cupcake Caper says, "I have the Ava* from Urban Outfitters-and my feelings are pretty much in line with most of the reviews on their site. It's a bit hard (to sit) at first, but softens up over time.
The fabric quality is OK, not awesome, but I needed an inexpensive and not wide option to fit in my small space, and I get skeeved about used sofa beds. I would never in a million years use this as a bed for myself, but it's fine for my tiny studio, where I don't want guests overstaying their welcome anyway." *since this comment was originally posted, the Ava sofa was renamed the Adeline. La-Z-Boy Leah Supreme Comfort Full Sleeper A new entrant with high marks in the comments, I've noticed La-Z-Boy coming up over the past few years with solid, standard designs at very good prices. Says reader Jukesgrrl, "I agree with the recommendation of La-Z-Boy. I sold furniture for several years in a store that carried a lot of brands. La-Z-Boy compared favorably to any brand we carried (some far more expensive) and they have tons of upholstery options." During the day, this modern sofa has cushions every side you like to make for an extra comfy sitting fest. At night, it unfolds into a roomy queen-sized bed.
And because the sides and back height are equal, it takes on the cocoon-like quality of a wingback bed. Clad Home Whittier Sleeper Sofa So many sleeper sofas have very boxy silhouettes, but this English roll-arm offering from Clad Home breaks through that mold. All the sofas from the brand have the option of being turned into a sleeper for an additional $500 (already included in the price above), so if this traditional frame isn't for you, there are tons more to choose from! Another favorite from West Elm is the Bliss sofa, which comes in a sleeper. Comments around the internet mention the down-filled seat feels like sitting on a cloud. At about 85" wide, it unfolds into a queen bed for overnight guests. The Sofa Bed Store - Chester Sleeper We couldn't resist the luxe velvet tufting of the Chester. It has a split back to recline every which way, though both sides of the back go down in a futon-like way to create a 3/4 double (which is a tad smaller than a full-sized bed.)
The chaise-like addition in the photo above is actually an optional chair that you can purchase separately to use as seating, an ottoman or a lounge. The Davis sofa is a best-seller for Crate & Barrel, and the sleeper version gets equally high remarks. Reviews on the C&B site average a nearly perfect 5-star rating, with commenters mentioning their guests giving it the thumbs up for sleeping comfort. The Diplomat Sleeper Sofa Very modern with a firm platform and easy opening construction, the Diplomat unfolds into a queen-sized bed. This is for the occasional guest. K_T says, "We have a Blu Dot convertible sofa, an earlier version than the Diplomat, and I think it is so sleek and perfect for us. It stays in a room which is mostly used as an office but is also where our guests stay. To report on the comfort, I think our loved ones like the way it sleeps, but it is quite firm." Easton Guest Select Sleeper Sofa - 91" R & B takes this category seriously. This design has a great clean shape and has a more accessible price.
The mattress is totally air filled, which gives it a much more alive feeling, but you do have to blow it up with the included blower like an Aero Bed. Slipcovered, with a causal cottage look, this sleeper gets the thumbs up. Cooklyn says, "We bought the Willow a few months ago. Guests have said it is super comfortable to sleep on, and I like that it doesn't look clunky. A few people said the cushions sag in the middle, but I haven't found that to be the case. Unlike a lot of sofa beds, it is really comfortable to sit on." Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams With a variety of classic styles and solid construction (made in the USA, too!), MGBW always scores high. The Alex has received the most mentions and the Luxe versions get the callout. Says Popkit, "The nicest - most comfortable - sleepers I've found are the luxe sleepers from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams." They're slightly more expensive than other models, but we've heard time and time again that American Leather makes the best, most comfortable sleepers.
It is also their patented sleep mechanism that is inside Room & Board's great sleepers. Says BizzyGirl1, "The Brynlee is sassy and these are SO comfortable and available in many nice color choices in both leather and microfiber. (No, I don't work for them, I just own one and love it)." Clad Home Rodney Sleeper Sofa We love the mid-century lines of this leather sleeper from Clad Home. The company gets high remarks because their fabrics and foams are never treated with toxic flame retardant chemicals, and all their furniture is made locally in Los Angeles with a minimal carbon footprint. Depths and widths for these sofas are fully customizable, as is the option to turn it into a sofa bed. 84" English Roll Arm Upholstered Sleeper Sofa Resto's English Roll Arm Sofa will fool you into thinking you have a 30-room manse instead of a one bedroom in Brooklyn. The price, depending on size and upholstery choices, is aspirational but who's counting? Re-edited from a post originally published 1.12.15-AH