apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Good question. I posted yesterday that I had one that was hand made for me in Los Angeles. It is, by far, the best bed I've ever had and I do not know where to find someone in NYC or surrounding area to make a comparable one.

So, please share info because I'm thinking of having another one made. They seem to be more popular on the West Coast.

For people uninitiated in the futon "thing": You can have them made with a variety of innards. Good word, innards. I have terrible allergies and selected appropriate material. A good futon maker will offer this. Also, the perspiration one loses during sleep is significant. Bacteria build up can be a problem in a regular mattress. A good futon, however, can be put out in the sun (or under a heat lamp) and the bacteria will disappear - the innards in tack.

Good luck.

..........'tis good I have a high tolerance for embarrassment. Had I read Maxwell's comments prior to posting, there would have been no need....

But, yeah, futons made well are good things....

I shall go back to work now.

I mentioned it yesterday, but I love my 100% cotton organic hand made white lotus futon. Easy order, easy delivery, and nice! Linked in my name. :)

Finally, an apartmenttherapy question I can answer...

Two words: Miya Shoji in Chelsea.
17th street due west of 6th avenue, north side of the street.

I slept on a Japanese futon in Japan and it was wonderful -- perfectly comfortable and perfectly transportable. So I went on quest for one here, asking at all the Japanese antique stores (or any other store that imported stuff from Japan) and Old Japan Inc., on Bleeker Street, told me that while you can order Japanese futons from several places the only place they kenw that keeps them in stock is Miya Shoji because they do complete tatami rooms. So I trekked to Miya Shoji and took my bed home in a cab and it has been a most marvelously comfortable bed ever since.

Miya Shoji is a showroom, not a store, so you have to ask for them but they do keep them in stock, along with lovely futon covers. Go there and sleep well.

Diana, I've been thinking about doing the Japanese futon thing but I'm not exactly sure HOW. Do you use a mat under it? Do you use a cover? Do you use one of those bolster-type pillows?

I don't like spring mattresses much, and the thick futons I've had tended to get lumpy.

now that I read the full entry, I see apartmenttherapy already knew about Miya Shoji ... figured it was impossible that I knew something they didn't.

Jeffery, I don't use a mat under my futon -- right now it's just unrolled in front of fireplace on a wood floor. No need for a bolster or any pillow other than whatever you typically sleep with. Japanese futons are designed to be a complete bed that you can roll up and put in the closet.

Check this site.
Very good quality and plenty of storage.http://www.wiedersofabed.com/

I`m in the D.C. area I need an economical roll up. Miya Shoji sounds so nice

i've been looking for a japanese futon for a long time. i lived in japan from 2000-2002 and was very happy with tatami mat floor and futon. unfortunately americans have a different idea of a what a traditional futon is. i ordered one from white lotus but it was thick (although the thinnest they could make) and i certainly could not fold it up and put it away like mine in japan. thick futons are made to go on slatted american frames and are actually less comfortable than the thinner, softer ones made for tatami mats. j-life seems to offer a good variety of real futons...http://www.jlifeinternational.com/houseitems/futon/futon_e.html but they are expensive ($440 for a queen, while mine in japan was about $150!) if anyone knows where to find one cheaper on west coast it please let me know!

Nichole, I found a seller called danfuton on ebay who sells 3" thick ones, that look much more authentic, and the picure shows it rolled up to a very compact size. http://stores.ebay.com/FUTONFURNITURESDOTCOM_FUTON-MATTRESS_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ7QQftidZ2QQtZkm

Cecilia, those futons FutonDan do look tempting, but I'd be hesistant at using one for perminent bedding. Have you actually used one for yourself, at least on a semiperminent basis? I mean, they are $45. I'm not a heavy man by any means (75 kilo's) but I can compress a cheap futon pretty easily.

I've ordered from J-Life before and am very happy with the result. Shiki futons are like anything else, you get what you pay for. And because a person lives in the US, be prepared to pay a higher price to get a quality shiki, unless you happene to be planning a trip to Japan sometime soon!

We lived in Japan for two years and loved our futons. When we came back all we could find are those fat, overstuffed futons with frames. We had one of those shops custom make a futon with only half the batting--about 2 inches thick. It works great. It's still a little overstuffed but we sleep just fine. It cost about $200.

I ordered a futon from jlifeinternational and I have love it. It's extreamly comfortable and I haven't missed my old bed at all.

One thing I would reccomend is to get a good pillow to match. I got a husk pillow to keep my head up and it works very nicely. I tried using a regular soft pillow and it didn't work very well (woke up with neck cramps).

futons are usually for sleeping and not for sitting on. if you choose to sit on them more than sleep on i recommend the ones with a foam unless you like the portability of the traditional type. you may use one but two for more comfort or warmth. thickness is not consistant from edge to center as it is made thicker in center and will resemble a oval like shape and when in use will conform to your body. like mattresses futons must pass the fire codes. the type of cotton or nowadays filling used does matter which help circulate the air within the futon. if you move the futon around it keeps a good shape and if you have access to for the futon to be in the sunlight it cleans as well as help fluff the cotton similar to having clothing out on a clothes line "sun fresh". with these all in mind the next step will be to either try the futon you like and or choose by the maker you find makes you happy. i hope this helps in some way to look for your futon in your neighborhood and or around the world. you can email me if you have any questions.

based on the traditional japanese futon miya shoji uses 100% staple cotton (10% polyester batting for fire codes). layering the futons thicker in the center and thinner towards the outer edges. it is slight but the main focus in where you sleep. we do make thin and thick versions. all sizes available as well as custom sizing. if you would like to know more email and or give me a call. i hope this information helps.
have a great day.

For those in California looking for good authentic Japanese futon, try the Uyeda in Little Tokyo, downtown Los Angeles. It's in between the Japanese Village Plaza and the New Otani Hotel on 1st St. They have a great selection of shiki and kake futon, as well as covers, buckwheat hull pillows, and just about everything else important.

Some of the prices can be a tad steep, but for the U.S., I found them reasonable enough. I got a nice shiki for $200, and it's proven highly comfortable, helping a lot to alleviate back and neck tension.

I live in San Francisco, where there are a lot of choices for shiki futons. Most places custom make them, and some have suggested to me to use some wool in the futon (in addition to the cotton filling). Is this a good idea?

We have been handcrafting natural and organic futons , mattresses, pillows, cushions, custom products etc... since 1981. Mention this posting and I will guarantee you 10% off the best price available.

Marlon Pando
President
www.whitelotus.net

191 Hamilton Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901


Phone: 732-843-4990
Fax:732-828-4159

White Lotus Home - of New Brunswick, N.J. - 25 years reducing air, water and land pollution nationwide by handcrafting natural, organic mattresses, pillows and bedding without toxic chemicals.

In Los Angeles there is one traditional style futon business that I know of called Sleep Exquisite. They make thin cotton mats and high density foam that goes under the cotton shikibuton. To mcomplete futon they make a beautiful kakebuton that is your top comforter and for which you choose a decorative center piece of material from their swatches and then a solid border.

They also offer cleaning and restuffing of their shikis's with new cotton or their foam mat can be cleaned and restuffed with new foam. I bought my futon from them in 1983 and am still using it after getting it restuffed every 7 to 8 years or so.

Located at 11727 Gateway Blvd. (same street as Ocean Park Blvd. when it runs through Santa Monica) in West Los Angeles (310) 478 3800. They have a rudimentary web site at www.sleepexquisite.com which shows a bit of what they offer.