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Japanese Furniture and Japanese Interiors

Tatami, Fusuma, Shoji, and Tansu

By Shizuko Mishima, About.com

Tatami - Tatami Mats

Tatami Mats

Photo (c) Shizuko Mishima
Traditional Japanese-style rooms are basically decorated with Japanese furniture, such as tatami mats, fusuma doors (sliding paper door), shoji screens (sliding paper screen), tansu, Japanese paper panterns, Japanese low-tables, futon, and so on.

Tatami mats are made of straw. Also, tatami mats are covered by igusa (rush) and are edged by decorative cloth. Tatami are effective in absorbing heat and moisture. People walk, sit, and sleep on tatami mats. You must take off your slippers when you enter a tatami room.

Shoji screens are made by pasting thin shiji papers on lattices. Shoji screens ease lights which come into rooms, and they are used as curtains. Fusuma doors are made by pasting thick fusuma papers on frames. Many Japanese rooms are divided by only fusuma doors. There are many kinds of beautiful fusuma papers and shoji papers available. It's good to change the color and design of those papers as you like. Tansu is a Japanese cabinet. Many people are attracted to beautifully designed antique tansu.

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