Step into any washitsu (Japanese style room), and you’ll immediately get notice a grassy scent like freshly-cut straw. That’s tatami, the traditional flooring material used in Japanese architecture. It usually comes in the form of rectangular mats made from rice straw — or, more commonly these days, less expensive wood chipboard or synthetic foam — covered with a woven straw made from igusa, a type of rush native to Japan.
Tatami is smooth to the touch, with a soft sink that makes the Japanese custom of sleeping on a futon on the floor much more comfortable than sleeping on hardwood would be. When you install new tatami in a room, it fills the space with its characteristic scent, which is said to purify the air and even possess refreshing and relaxing aromatherapeutic effects similar to taking a stroll in the forest.
Nagano-based tatami flooring design group TATAMO! have brought a uniquely Japanese essence to yoga by developing a yoga mat made out of tatami.
Curious to learn more about the story behind the development of these unique yoga mats, I contacted TATAMO! director Kazuyuki Momose. He kindly shared the inspiration behind their products, the advantages they offer for consumers, and the challenges in designing a yoga mat made from tatami.
What is TATAMO!’s mission?
The washitsu, and by extension tatami, doesn’t just add a Japanese feeling to space, but also serves an essential function in keeping Japanese culture alive. Traditional Japanese arts such as ikebana (flower arranging), chanoyu (tea ceremony), and budo (martial arts), are ideally practiced on tatami flooring, which is why you’re always sure to find at least one washitsu in community centers and schools where these arts are taught.
We want people to be able to enjoy the Japanese tradition of tatami in a freer and fun way. That’s TATAMO!’s theme.
How did the concept of the tatami yoga mat begin?
Of course, recreational activities from outside Japan are becoming more popular, especially yoga.
Thinking about ways to make tatami more free and fun to use, we felt that mobility was important. Leaving only the good qualities of tatami mats and trimming off all the non-essential extras, we arrived at the concept of a yoga mat.
Why did you want to make a tatami yoga mat?
In the past, Japanese traditional arts like martial arts, flower arranging, and tea ceremony were practiced on tatami mats. It was there that the principles of spirituality and virtues became so highly prized by the Japanese people.
Thinking about the role that tatami can play in terms of our hearts and bodies in modern life, we can draw a connection to yoga exercises. By practicing yoga on a tatami mat, which embodies the manners and spirit of ancient Japan, you can achieve the effects of yoga more naturally. I would be delighted if that could be connected with yoga to create a new culture all over the world.
What were some of the challenges in designing a tatami yoga mat?
The reeds used to make ordinary tatami mats were too soft, so we needed to apply a special coating.
Are there any other unique features of your tatami yoga mats?
We bordered the outer edge with a pretty ribbon which gives it an excellent sporty design.
TATAMO!’s mats, which are crafted from 100% domestic igusa grass, are an eco-friendly alternative to yoga mats made out of rubber or PVC and cost ¥5,500 (about $50 USD). The mats come in a natural tan color and are bordered in a brocade ribbon that comes in three colors: smoky white, mint green, or royal blue.
The TATAMO! yoga mat can be used inside or outside, on top of a regular yoga mat for those with sensitive knees, or all by itself. Lightweight and rollable, it may be the most travel-ready yoga mat we’ve come across. (It’s also true to its name — tatami comes from the verb tatamu which means “to fold or pile” because that’s how they used to be stored.) Tatami is more sweat and odor absorbent than cotton, which makes tatami yoga mats ideal for hot yoga as well.
What are the advantages of tatami as a material for yoga mats?
Our tatami yoga mats are made using a natural material called igusa [a type of woven rush or grass], so you can do yoga while feeling nature beneath your skin. The texture and fragrance of the igusa allow you to reach a more profound state of relaxation.
Why is it important to you to use only domestically-produced igusa?
Because of the particular characteristics of domestic igusa: its elastic texture and pleasant scent.
What are differences between that tatami that TATAMO! uses in your yoga mats and other tatami?
TATAMO! is a product that effectively utilizes short grasses of 90 centimeters or less that up until now were unsuitable for the size of regular tatami mats and were usually burned. We offer products that use plenty of high quality domestically produced igusa which, though small, are nonetheless filled with all the goodness of natural materials.
In what other ways are you innovating with tatami?
In addition to yoga mats, we also craft thin tiles of tatami in a range of colors, which can be arranged and combined to create custom flooring in Japanese apartments that weren’t built with tatami in mind. In this way, the brand is working to build a bridge between modern lifestyles and traditional values.
Whether you are a yogi or not, we hope tatami will bring some wa (harmony) into your lifestyle.
To learn more about TATAMO! and their tatami yoga mats, please visit their website, Tatamo.jp or check out their products available on Amazon Japan.
