People in the west are adopting Japanese bedding as their primary sleeping surface as opposed to using a traditional western bed at home. After all, people in Japan have the highest life expectancy in the world. We review the best Japanese Futon available in the market today.
Traditional Japanese futons, also known as Shikibuton mattress allows you to sleep comfortably on any sleeping surface including the ground!
The right Japanese futon mattresses supports your body at any position you sleep. Finding the right Japanese futon mattress needs requires careful consideration of what are important features should be found on them.
We’ve done the job for you and brought the best Japanese futons along with the main considerations to keep in mind before buying.
Important Features We Look For When Choosing An Authentic Japanese Futon
We’ve compiled the list of the best Japanese futon after considering the following features of the mattresses.
Since futon varies in sizes and materials, make sure to double-check them so that you end up buying the right futon mattress that meets your needs.
Size
Futon mattress comes in common sizes of twin, full, queen, and king size. They have different widths and heights, for varying numbers of persons.
If you’re single, twin-size Japanese bedding would be the best for you as it has a 38 x 75 inches area.
For couples or two persons, a full size or queen gives adequate space for sleeping. The king-size mattress has the capacity of up to two adults and a child, such as for a couple with a baby.
The size aspect of the futon mattress will be more clear from the table below.
| Mattress Size | Dimensions (Width x Length) | Capacity |
| Twin size | 38 x 75 inches | One person |
| Full Size | 54 x 75 inches | Two persons |
| Queen | 60 x 80 inches | Two persons |
| King | 76 x 80 inches | Three persons |
Futon Mattress Cover
You cannot wash a futon mattress due to its large size that doesn’t fit into a washing machine. The foam and organic cotton will take days to dry out, it’s essential to opt for a mattress that comes with a microfiber cover or removable futon cover.
Just like a western mattress, these traditional Japanese mattresses get dirty and require cleaning. It is important to look for a removable zippered cotton cover or duvet cover to allow you to clean your futon regularly.
Materials
Materials and filling are other factors that you should look for when purchasing a futon mattress. Most futon mattresses have polyester stuffing with a microfiber cover.
You need to look for a traditional futon with soft filling for a long-lasting Japanese Futon Mattress. Modern futon mattresses use resilient foam for an evem longer-lasting sleeping mat.
Authentic futon mattresses are made of polyester stuffing, cotton, or memory foam. These should not trigger any skin irritation or have allergy problems for people. You can enjoy your comfort as such materials have no chemical spray or anything that bothers you.
Tatami Mats
Since you are laying (almost) directly on the floor, the placement of your Japanese futon is very important. If you have carpeted flooring in your bedroom, a Japanese futon by itself should be comfortable.
On the other hand, if you are laying on a concrete or hardwood floor, it might be a good idea to use a Tatami mat or a straw mat to complete your Japanese futon set. This will ensure comfort and cleanliness no matter your sleeping surface.
Portability
Most futon beds are made lightweight and you can easily move them from place to place. Make sure that the Japanese futon mattresses you want to buy can be easily rolled and folded so that you can store them in a small room as well. Some straps would be handy in that regard.
Best Traditional Japanese Futon Mattress (Shikibuton Mattress)
1. FULI Traditional Japanese Floor Mattress Shiki Futon
It’s a twin-size Japanese futon mattress that has a firm polyester pad that is 2.5 inches thick. You can place a tatami as well under the Japanese futon for gaining some height and comfort.
Doing so will help you sleep well with a good posture. And it’s best for those with back pain as the Japanese futon helps to relieve it. This futon bed is lightweight, weighing only 8 pounds, making it easy to carry from one place to another.
The mat has 100% cotton on the outside and has 100% Polyester and Polyurethane stuffing on the inside. The filling is not toxic and causes no chemical sensitivity problem if you’re allergic to it.
The only drawback with this product is that it is not machine washable.
- Stylish, comfortable, and rollable mattress
- The outer cotton fabric delivers smooth skin touch
- Stuffed with polyester and polyurethane foam filling
- Authentic Japanese Traditional Shiki futon
- Helps relieve back pain, and improves posture
- Not suitable for a heavier person as the filling compresses over time
2. BJDesign Japanese Futon Mattresses
This is a lightweight, and compact futon that features the same thickness as the FULI futon – 2.5 inches. Such mat thickness delivers easy folding and will occupy less space when you store it.
You can lay down a tatami mat under the futon to elevate it – which the Japanese do – if you think it’s too thin. This is a full-size Shiki futon that has polyester stuffing, cotton fabric on the outside.
It has a three-layer structure – cotton, polyester, and cotton which gives a smooth touch to your body. As this is a full-size product, you can opt for a queen or twin size as well if that suits your needs.
This futon is packed in a large box at the time of delivery so that it does not get compressed and you receive a well-fluffed Japanese futon from the moment you receive it.
The downside is that it is not machine washable, but you can opt for a mattress cover over for cleanliness and wash the cover any time you want. This product weighs 14.67 pounds, heavier than the FULI Shikibuton.
- Made and tested by Japanese craftsmen
- Portable and suitable for both indoor use and as an outdoor sleeping mat
- Easily storable - occupies less volume when rolled
- Lightweight, compact and foldable futon
- Not machine washable
Best Tatami Mats To Complete Your Japanese Futon Set
Tatami Mats are a great way to complete your authentic Japanese Mattresses set. They should be used together with a mattress, and are not meant to sleep on it by themselves unless you love sleeping on a surface as firm as the floor.
3. FULI Japanese Traditional Igusa Tatami Mattress
You can even use Tatami mats together with a mattress topper if you’re on a budget.
This FULI tatami is made in Japan from rush grasses, known as Igusa, and is around 0.5 inches thick. Make sure to buy a tatami floor mat of the same or bigger size as your futon so that it completely covers the lower part of it.
The FUJI tatami comes in Twin XL size, which you can fold in three creases.
This foldable mat helps with easy storage even in a small room. And it’s a lightweight mat, 6.5 pounds making it easy to move between rooms.
As the mat is made from a rush plant, it gives a grassy smell which will go away if you air-dry it in the sun.
Placing a tatami mattress helps to release humid air in the night, which is coming out of your body. Its backside has non-woven polyester with no chemical spray, avoiding any skin irritation.
- Delivers maximum comfort with futon
- Foldable in three creases for easy storage
- Made from rush plant
- Tatami mat has to be air-dried before grass smell goes away
4. MIINA Japanese Traditional Igusa Tatami Mattress
The MIINA full-size mat is made from the same rush grass as the FUJI mat. But it’s 0.4 inches thick, slightly thinner than the FUJI mat.
This Japanese rug is a lightweight mat that you can carry anywhere you want whether to your sleep, picnic, or yoga class. It’s just 10.3 pounds.
You can fold it into four creases so that it can be easily stored in a small cabinet.
Most futons are thinner around 2.5 – 4 inches. Heavier people find it firm and want a bit of a thick futon. Here’s where the tatami mat comes forward.
It adds to the thickness of the futon and you can enjoy your sleep with better posture.
This rush grass mat smells like grass when you first unbox it. But that will not last that long. The best option is to place it in the sun before first use.
- Grass rush help absorb moisture, releasing humidity
- Multipurpose and suitable for sleeping and picnics
- Lightweight and foldable
- Four folding creases occupy less storage room
- Premium price, but worth the quality
Best Japanese Style Futons With Modern Fluffiness
Japanese futon mattresses are often too thin for people who are used to the thick western mattress. We have found a perfect compromise between a traditional futon and western futons!
Although technically not considered Japanese bedding anymore, these lightweight mattress features thicker padding and filling compared to a traditional mattress, providing you the best of both worlds.
5. MAXYOYO Japanese Floor Mattress Futon Mattress
It features a dustproof microfiber cover that you can machine wash and keeps the mattress clean.
The Japanese futon mattress is 4 inches thick, providing fluffiness and comfort. You can pick from 16 different colors of your choice, grey, black, coffee, navy, royal blue, and more, so you can pick the perfect color to suit your room.
It also comes in various sizes: twin, full, queen, and king.
This is a full-size mattress and is quite big when it’s being shipped. You’ll receive it in a large bag, with the mat compressed. After, you will need to sun it for 2 – 3 days to regain its original form.
You’ll also get a pair of straps for sealing the mat when you want to roll and store it.
The MAXYOYO is smooth enough that gives your body a normal form when you’re sleeping. Unlike other mattresses that are not as posture friendly, this mat supports your vertebrae, giving you good spinal alignment and comfort.
This is the perfect mattress for your bedroom, guest, or living room.
- Comes in various colors
- Lightweight and foldable compact design
- Bestseller on Amazon
- Dustproof microfiber cover
- Needs a few days in the sun to fully decompress from the packaging
6. YOSHOOT Extra Thick Japanese Futon Floor Mattress
It prevents vertebrae deformation as it’s an extra thick 4-inch mattress.
The product can be found in twin, full, queen, and king sizes. Pick the one that suits your needs. With the cotton and memory foam stuffing, it delivers better softness that relieves your back pain, leaving you with a relaxing sleep.
The brand has made this mattress in three layers, where two-inch foam is covered by organic cotton all around, including top and bottom faces. The microfiber cover is of the same color as the mattress.
As the mattress is thick, you won’t be able to fit this in the washing machine and would need to spot clean with a gentle detergent.
- Comes in a storage bag with a pair of straps to tie it down
- Relieves back pain
- Vertebrae-friendly design
- Super quilting process keep the layers together
- Too big to fit most washing machines
7. YOSHOOT Green Japanese Shiki Futon Mattress Floor Mattress
It can be found in various colors – green, black, grey, off-white, and charcoal grey.
Most Japanese futons have this issue where you cannot machine wash them as they are too big to fit in a washing machine. With the YOSHOOT mat, the removable cover makes washing a pain-free experience.
The product features quilting that keeps the layers of the mat together. It also gives a good look and uniformity to the mat.
Just like other futons, this one is also shipped in a large bag that compresses it to a small size.
When you fold it and want to store it, the straps help with tying down the mat so that you can easily keep it in a small room or cabinet. The dust-proof cover prevents dust mites and delivers a skin-friendly touch.
This full-size futon mattress measures at 54″ x 80″, but it also comes in a twin or queen size.
- Comes with free mattress cover on purchase
- Washable and removable microfiber cover
- Easy to keep the mattress clean
- Suitable for heavier people
- Needs to be sun regularly for maximum fluffiness
Best Futon Cover With Organic Cotton
If you like to keep your futon clean, you can get a futon sheet for your futon mattress. Having a futon sheet will provide an extra layer of protection against dirt and grime.
It can be removed easily, dries quickly, and you can use these for hassle-free cleaning after your guests sleep on it.
Complete your futon furniture set with these organic cotton futon sheets without stepping into futon stores!
8. EMOOR 100% Cotton Fitted Sheet for Futon Mattress
The sheets are available in Twin and Twin-xl sizes at 41 x 85 inches long enough to cover most futons mattresses.
Remember to wash the sheet in warm settings with a washing net. The sheets should not be tumble dried or bleached and should be line dry in the open air.
9. MIINA 100% Cotton Cover for Traditional Japanese Floor Futon Mattress
The size offered is 41″ x 82″, which is suitable for the MIINA futon mattresses. It can be machine washed in warm water but tumble dry on low heat only.
It provides a way to prevent stains from sticking to the futon and can be used with other products, such as Igusa mats and MIINA mattresses, to provide a complete bed setup.
Final Thoughts
The Japanese futon is getting famous in the western world as well. They help with back pain and give a comfortable place to sleep. The best Japanese futon out there is the FULI futon that features 100% cotton on the outside with polyester stuffing.
The brand also produces rush grassy tatami mattresses to complete a set. The FUJI futon is budget-friendly and is worth every penny. So grab one for yourself and enjoy the Japanese sleep style.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do Japanese people sleep on?
In the modern world, most Japanese people choose to use modern mattresses and beds that are thick and comfortable. Although, many Japanese people still own futon furniture for when they want to sleep on the ground.
Are Japanese Futons Comfortable?
The traditional Japanese futons are on the thinner side, and may not be comfortable for most people initially. It takes time to get used to the firm polyester pad, but there are plenty of health benefits you can gain with this adjustment.
If you are unable to get used to the thin, traditional Japanese futon, consider the more modern versions of futon furniture, as they come with thicker padding and are more comfortable for use.
Are Japanese Futons Washable?
Most Japanese futon mattresses are not washable. Even if you have an industrial size washing machine, it will take days or maybe a week to dry those foams and cotton. Unless you have another industrial dryer…
The best way to care for your Japanese futons is by using a removable futon cover and spot clean dirt as soon as possible.
Can you use Japanese Futons without a Tatami?
Of course, you can use Japanese Futon without a Tatami Mattress. Since some futons are thinner – around 2.5 inches thick, the Japanese use a tatami mat to gain some height from the ground, so that it does not feel as firm.
If your futon is around 4 inches thick, that should be plenty and there is no need for the tatami mat. One thing a mat could help with is by allowing better airflow and releasing humidity from your Japanese futon mattress
Can you use Japanese Futons with a regular bed frame?
Japanese Futons are meant to be used on the floor with a floor mat. This is only possible if you have a traditional western bed that does not have holes in the bed frame base. Otherwise, you might fall through the bed frame while sleeping.
What are the best Japanese futons for heavy people?
Traditional futons are usually quite thin and may compress too much for a person on the heavier side. The best Japanese futon mattress, in this case, would be the modern, Japanese style futons that are heavily padded and more comfortable.
The MAXYOYO Japanese Floor Mattress Futon Mattress has a 4 inches thick padding that allows you to sleep comfortably. If you still need more support, you can consider adding a Tatami mat to complete your set!
Are there other alternatives to sleep on the floor?
Yes! Aside from the Japanese Futon Mattresses, we also draw inspiration from other countries in the world. The Thai Triangle Pillow (also known as Kapok mattresses) is a great alternative to sleep on the floor without sacrificing comfort.
