Tatami Mats

(Tatami Omote)

35" x 70"

1/8" thick

Though first introduced in 17th Century Japan as a covering for dirt floors, tatami mats are very much a perfect floor covering in today's Eco Home. Japanese Tatami Mats are made from rush or rice straw and retain a light green or 'sage' color, slowly fading over time. Their soft, tactile texture feels great on bare feet. The soft grassy aroma comes straight from Japan where these were made.

Tatami Mats take the place of a rug and are used in the same way.

We offer the Tatami Covering, not the entire tatami mat. We use the term 'tatami mat' for simplification.

Tatami Mats can be used alone, or can be used as something to place a zabuton or futon on top of for added protection. Tatami mats can also be used outdoors on the grass as a natural ground cloth.

What is Tatami Omote?

Many of the homes in Japan still have a tatami room. Though the rooms vary in size and furnishings, all of them have one thing in common. They all use the traditional rice straw floormats, which are about two inches thick, called tatami mats. Tatami omote is the thin outer covering, made of a soft rush material, that is sewn onto the thick rice straw base of the tatami mat. When the cover wears out it is replaced with new tatami omote. Tatami omote is divided by quality into four grades. The highest grade is tokutokujo, next is tokujo, then jo, and lastly the nami grade. The tokutokujo mats are most frequently used in shrines, temples, government buildings, and homes of the very wealthy. The tokujo and jo grade mats are the ones most commonly found in everyday use.

Tatami omote is not made of rice straw as many people think. It is made from the stems of a soft rush (juncus effusus) that grows in wetland areas. The stems are collected, cleaned, dried, and tightly woven to make a thin, soft mat.

35" x 70"

$38.00