I'd really love to be able to sleep on one. Doesn't seem too widely available here though …
Besides Japanache, any other place I could get one? If anybody has got one, it'd be great if they could also tell me:
a. Would tatami mats be necessary (I've got wooden floor)
b. Wow difficult would maintaining it be?
My back really wants one :|. If it's too difficult it'll have to wait until I buy a house and build myself a quasi-Japanese home.
Those aren't the futons I'm after :).
I currently sleep in Futon, and on a wooden floor too. Although TBH I can't see how they're good for your back, maybe I need to add another Futon layer underneath my current one.
In terms of maintenance, they're as good as any bed, provided you have sheet covers over all your Futons etc.
They are really heavy.
Really all you need is just a mattress on a floor, or simply 2 old wooden doors laid out with some bricks underneath, would look a lot like a futon being low to the ground.
The OP is probably talking about the futons they use in japan, not the westernized ones.
In japan they don't used bed frames of any sort, just a thin mattress on top of the floor. these are lightweight and foldable.
Usually two "mattresses", the lower one seems to be woolen and can be rolled up, the one that goes on top (that you sleep on) is usually a maximum of two inch thick foam, that folds in 3 pieces.
The idea of these is that due to the fact they can be folded and put away, you'll have all the bedroom space available once you put them away. ideal for small living spaces.
to the OP: i don't think you need a tatami, as i've seen people with wooden floors in japan just use these 2 on top of the floor, although I imagine a little bit more ground clearance would make it slightly more comfortable, although not by much.
be careful with these, unless you're used to sleeping face up on rigid surface you might find it's worse for your back.
I sleep on the side, and all over the place, and I woke up every morning with a sore/numb side while in japan.
The base is called a futon mattress and the top futon is called a shiki futon. A new store has opened at www.japanoz.com. This store specialeses in importing affordable futons from Japan. Their futons are the standard ones the average Japanese person sleeps on.
We had a futon couch which could be used as a bed. It was really heavy and needed to be sun-ed every few months… never again will I ever buy a Futon. Way too much effort I reckon!