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Western style furniture, including beds, tables, chairs and sofas, are found in most Japanese households today. In addition, uniquely Japanese style furniture and household devices have survived or been introduced into the Japanese home.
Japanese households often consist of both Japanese style rooms with tatami floors, and modern rooms with wooden or tiled floors. Tatami mats are made of straw and measure roughly 180 cm x 90 cm. You should always take off your slippers when stepping on tatami mats in order to protect them from damage.
Traditional tatami rooms have an alcove (tokonoma) in which a hanging scroll (kakejiku) and a flower arrangement (ikebana) or piece of pottery is displayed. The room entrances are sliding paper doors (fusuma) and sliding paper screens (shoji) which can be removed completely.
Tatami mats
Most Japanese kitchens are equipped with a gas stove, rice cooker, microwave oven, and refrigerator. The traditional Japanese bed is a futon which is laid on the floor only during the night and kept in a closet (oshiire) during the daytime. Consequently, the bedroom can then also function as a living or dining room.
Gas stove
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Futon
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Most houses in Japan do not have central heating. Instead, gas, oil and electric ovens and air conditioners are used to heat single rooms. The heating devices are turned off during the night and when nobody is in the room. In addition, heated tables (kotatsu) are a popular piece of furniture during the winter.
Kotatsu
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Air conditioner and various other heaters
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Please visit also our information pages about tansu chests, toilets and bathrooms.
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English Links
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Furniture Rental Tokyo.com
Furniture rental and sale in Japan. Asian, European and American furniture for expats is displayed near Tokyo Tower.
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