Futon

Hi Guys,

I have always wondered... I have read that at Minshuku guests are required to set up the Futon themselves and put it away in the morning: This putting the Futons away in the morning... If guests are staying more than 1 night must they put the Futons away (correct etiquette)? Or it can be left out in the room? Anyway, at Minshuku does the proprietor even access the guest room when it is occupied for cleaning? Am I correct to assume that they don't clean the occupied guest rooms?
Mel

It is the right etiquette to fold up the futon - to be put away into the "oshiire" (closet) or piled in one corner of the room - the room serves also as the sitting room, so to say, so you would want to have the space for yourself :)
Just as with ryokan (traditional Japanese inns) I assume they do come into the room for cleaning.

Melanie Putra,

As suggested, as soon as you check into your room, you will know that unless you fold your futon in the morning, there will be no space for you to move around.

Just fold your futon in whatever way you prefer (with the sheets on or off, it's up to you), and usually guests keep it piled in the corner of the room.

On the day you check out, ask the lady what you should do with the futon - whether you should put it away in the oshiire or not and what you should do with the sheets and coverings.

By the way, in all the minshuku I've stayed in the 30 odd years of living in Japan, no one has come to clean my room during my stay. The general idea of a "minshuku" (literally meaning "folk inn") is that you pretty much do everything by yourself just as you would when you stay at the home of a family you know. But just as you would at someone's home, you are free to ask if you could use the washing machine, borrow the vacuum cleaner, etc.

Make yourself at home!

Whenever it is warmer out, it is usually a better idea to fold up your futon rather than leave it out as a really disgusting and smelly mold can grow on the bottom layer if you don't. Especially if the futon is directly on tatami...

On the other hand, my current host family has me sleeping on a futon and I've only properly folded up my futon once... No mold/smelliness whatsoever probably because they put in carpet (rugs) over the tatami... So it depends on what the futon is on and etc.

Although if you have to fold it up every day, I feel bad for you... 大変そうですね〜、頑張って

"Man-nen-doko" (laying your futon all year long) is definitely a bad idea, but we're talking short stays here. You won't get mold, just because you kept the futon laid on an airy minshuku for a day or two.

In fact, you should always keep your futon laid for a few minutes after you wake up, to let go of the "ara-netsu" (excess heat). This will help evaporate the humidity the futon has absorbed overnight, eventually preventing it from catching mold or permanent smells.

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your feedback. Previously when I stayed at a Minshuku (for max 2 nights) I left the futon unfolded but made up. My small luggages I stored in the cabinet where the futon was originally kept. I hope that was OK...