From a land known these days for its advancements in modern day technology, there also hails an ancient convenience known for giving one a restful night’s sleep. What some may loosely refer to as a one dimensional mattress is a very well designed piece of bedding known as a futon - which in Japanese means bedding. Let's first look at the origins of this great piece of furniture. In the past, ordinary people in Japan slept on straw mats. While the peasants slept with a rudimentary covering (if any at all), the affluent were able to cover themselves with more clothing. This eventually led to the making of bedclothes and futons for a more comfortable night's sleep. That was about 300 years ago, but it is only in the last decade or so that people in the Western world have started using them too.

Typically, a futon set consists of a padded mattress, a quilt and, of course, a pillow. A cover is often included too, but not always. The mattress is placed inside the cover which greatly aids in keeping the entire bedding clean and fresh. The pillow, while not stuffed with feathers or cotton or some other material, is filled with old standby beans and / or buckwheat chaff.Do not let that put you off though! While this type of pillow may not to be a style that everyone likes, because of its firmness and rigidity, it has had its converts. The mattress itself is usually stuffed with cotton or synthetic batting. You may occasionally come across one filled with wool, but they are fairly rare these days. Typically, a mattress is three to five inches in thickness and is designed to be spread out flat on the floor. As people usually perspire during sleep, the futon has been designed to absorb moisture. Surprisingly, you can have a very peaceful sleep, stay warm, and feel a kind of support that you would not get from a traditional bed.

Most people would agree that making the bed is a chore that they could do without, and futons solves just this problem. You can just roll up a futon and put in your closet or in the corner of your room. What was your bedroom then becomes a living room. When the futon is not being used, it can also be hung outside in the sunlight to keep it smelling nice and fresh. If you are someone who often has guests staying the night at your home then a futon is an absolute must-have. When guests come, you can just take the spare futon out of storage and place it on the living room floor for them to sleep on. No more sleeping on sofas or jamming 3 people into a single bed. You could also pack in your car and take it with you if you are planning to visit someone else who is short on beds.

So, consider buying a futon the next time that you are looking for new furniture. Manufacturers are now able to design them according to your wishes and dreams!