Photo from ja.wikipedia.org

As someone who has lived in apartments with both old tatami and new tatami, my relationship with Japan’s traditional straw-mat flooring is complicated.  On one hand, tatami is softer under a futon than linoleum; it retains heat better than (faux-)wooden flooring in the winter; and, when new, it looks classy. On the other hand, it’s susceptible to water damage, mold, mites, and tatami funk, especially as it ages, and requires more care and vigilance than non-tatami alternatives.

Via the Asahi Shimbun. Tokai-kiki-kogyo Inc.'s denim-made tatami.

Furthermore, Western-style furniture like beds and tables can dent or tear the matting, and cleaning under dressers and entertainment centers is unpleasant at best. However, in The Asashi Shimbun‘s recent Asia and Japan Watch article “Modern-day tatami gains foothold using new materials,” Emi Hirai and Kyoko Tanaka examine new types of tatami mats, from washable denim to stain-resistant washi paper, that have been developed by tatami-makers to preserve this part of Japanese culture by making the mats easier to clean and more appropriate to contemporary lifestyles: “Their key features lie in their fashionable appearance and ease of maintenance. Some of these new types of tatami are even washable with strong strokes of a brush.”

I personally think the washable denim would be practical for pets, but the elegance of the tinted washi also appeals to me. What do you think?

-Leah