Great wisdom is hidden in the tatami room

In the last half century, the living style of many Japanese has been Westernized and the majority of Japanese houses have since been built in the Western style. However, the key ingredients of the traditional Japanese house are still retained in the new layout. The most significant one is the tatami room, which is called a ?washitsu.? Half a century ago every room in a Japanese house was a washitsu, but now, there is usually only one tatami room in the house.

Tatami rooms are very simple, but there is great wisdom behind them. Basically, only one low table without chairs is set in the center and everything else is stored in the closet so that the room looks spacious. The table is used for tea, meals and children?s study. If the table is moved, the room can be changed into a children?s playroom or bedroom if you take the futon or sleeping mat out of the closet. The washitsu functions as a utility room.

Even now that many houses are Westernized, Japanese still take off their shoes at the entrance. This practice is a remnant from the days when all Japanese houses had only tatami rooms in which Japanese sat in and spent much of their daily lives. This practice of taking off ones shoes is a nuisance for non-Japanese, but Japanese feel very comfortable with it.

A shouji, or traditional slide screen (semi-transparent paper is fixed on wooden frames), is often used instead of curtains. A fusuma, a traditional separating sliding partition made of hardened paper in which a picture or some design is drawn, is sometimes situated between the washitsu and other rooms

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