Tatami in japan. Tatami in Japan Tatami that are used in sumo battles

Tatami in the house

Tatami is a special floor covering that is used in traditional Japanese houses. Nowadays, the traditional tatami is rarely used in Japanese homes, preferring to live in European-style homes.

Tatami from Japanese translates as "folding", that is, "that which folds." They are the basis of the Japanese interior and are special mattresses. Japanese tatami mats are made on mechanical machines from igus cane and stuffed with rice straw. For wealthy Japanese, hemp is used in the manufacture of tatami. The long edges of the tatami are covered with fabric. Modern life has made its own adjustments to the manufacture of tatami, not the most useful. In many factories, they began to be stuffed with synthetic wool. They became cheaper, but at the same time they lost their ecological purity.

The spread of tatami in Japan began in 1185-1333, when the Kamakura shogun ruled. The material from which the tatami was made, their thickness and quantity spoke about the social status of the owner. Modern tatami is made of rectangular shape with dimensions of 90x180 cm and a thickness of 5 cm. The area of ​​rooms in Japan is measured by tatami. This is taken into account when building houses. For example, in shops the area of ​​a room was traditionally 5.5 tatami, and in teahouses - 4.5 tatami. Children's tatami has dimensions of 90x90 cm. Tatami in Tokyo and in the eastern part of Japan is slightly smaller - 85x180 cm. Regardless of the size, the thickness of all tatami is 5 cm.

Synthetic wool tatami

In modern Japanese houses, even those built according to the European type, there is still at least one room covered with tatami. To keep the tatami tatami clean, it is customary for the Japanese to always take off their shoes before entering the house.

The superstitious Japanese have a whole set of rules that determine how many tatami mats are needed for a room and how to place them on the floor. The Japanese firmly believe that if the tatami is placed incorrectly, it will bring misfortune. They cannot be arranged in a regular grid. There should be no places where the corners of three or four tatami mats converge. This is practical, since with the correct positioning, the tatami do not change their original position, even if you run and jump on them.

The tatami is used as a sports mats in judo, aikido and other sports. oriental martial arts, for sports activities they are tougher than home tatami. Tatami is also used to improve the art of using the Japanese sword. To do this, they are rolled up in the form of cylinders and placed in water for several days, and then they test the sharpness of swords on them or test the skills of swordsmen.

This unusual Japanese word - tatami - is now known to every Russian. It gained such wide popularity thanks to the passion of our President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, who has been almost permanent in recent years, which is martial arts. With regard to oriental martial arts, to be precise - to judo, this is the name of a special carpet on which the fight takes place.

However, such an association of tatami with martial arts is typical for our country, as well as for Western countries, but in Japan itself, where this word came from, and this object, tatami is a common household item, and it has been so since ancient times.

Initially, a tatami is not even a carpet as such, but rather a flat mattress, something like a mat. Once they were woven from reed, stuffed with rice straw, and the edges were sheathed with cloth. Currently, synthetic materials are more often used, but even in this form, tatami remains an integral part of Japanese life. Even in European-style houses, there is at least one room with tatami mat.

Spreading tatami mat on the floor in a Japanese house is not as easy as it seems. In this case, it is necessary to follow strict rules, and it is assumed that if they are not followed, if the tatami is laid out incorrectly, it will "lure" all kinds of troubles and misfortunes into the house. How to lay out the tatami correctly?

First, the corners of four or at least three tatami mats should not converge anywhere. Secondly, they should not form a regular grid.

However, although the arrangement of the tatami is given a certain "mystical" meaning (the goal is to ensure happiness and well-being for people living in the house), such an arrangement still cannot be denied some practicality: you can not only walk on the tatami located in this way, but also jump , jumping and even running - nothing terrible will happen, they will not "run out", they will not lose their disposition. In general, it is difficult to say about happiness and well-being, but at least order in the house will be ensured.

Tatami is also a kind of "unit of measurement" for the area of ​​a Japanese house. This is due to the fact that the tatami has very specific dimensions - 180 by 90 centimeters, while its thickness is 5 centimeters. True, in the eastern part of Japan, in particular in Tokyo, the tatami is slightly narrower - 180 by 85 centimeters, however, these are already details, but in general their size remains unchanged, which allows the Japanese to measure the area of ​​their rooms in the tatami and even take into account this size when building houses.

As for those tatami that are intended specifically for practicing martial arts, in particular judo, they are somewhat different from those that cover the floors in Japanese houses. They are more rigid, made of pressed foam rubber crumbs, and their size can be different: 100, 150 or 200 by 100 centimeters. These individual mats are folded into a large carpet measuring 14 x 14 meters with the so-called. "Working area" measuring 11 by 11 meters.

Tatami is a word of Japanese origin, translated as "that which is collected (folded)". The Japanese household way, and indeed the way of life in general, is very different from the principles of life of other countries and peoples. The construction of houses, the type of doors and other aspects of the Japanese have their own character and flavor, which makes them unique. So, if you and I are accustomed to laying carpets on the floor, then the Japanese have tatami on the floor for a long time.

Tatami in Japanese life

Great importance is attached to tatami laying: they must be of a certain size, in a certain amount in one room. And the attitude to each other tatami in one room should be strictly according to the rules. Otherwise, it can bring misfortune to the house, the Japanese believed and believe. Although, the layout of the tatami by all the rules allows them not to mix, despite the active movement along them. Jump, jump, and they won't move.

What is tatami among the Japanese? Tatami is igus woven from reed and stuffed with rice straw (synthetic wool in modern times) "mattresses-carpets" with an area of ​​usually 90x90m / sq. Or 90x180m / sq. The edges of these reed-straw "mattresses-carpets" are hung with some kind of fabric.

Tatami in sports

What's the difference: tatami or mat? The difference is not very big. The tatami is generally stiffer. And they came to us from the east along with martial arts, during which, by the way, it is advisable to lay out the floor of the gym with them. They are designed to protect athletes from injury during falls by softening the landing.

Modern industry offers different tatami mats in terms of collection method, covering, composition and other characteristics.

Tatami are the mats or mats that are used to lay the floors of houses in Japan. Traditionally, they are made from igus cane, stuffed with rice straw, and more recently, synthetic cotton wool. They owe a history associated with ancient Japanese warriors and the Japanese way of life in general. In our time, especially in sports, the concept of tatami denotes a mat, on which representatives of the Japanese judo wrestling go to a duel.

Tatami

Tatami has its own history and traditions. Their roots are in Japan, which is a very unusual country. The fact is that the area of ​​rooms in Japan is measured in tatami. Therefore, even during the construction of a residential building, their area, and most importantly, location, is always taken into account. They consist of several mats. The total area of ​​such a "carpet" is about 14 x 14 m, and the so-called working area is about 11 x 11 m.

The standard for the tatami is 900 x 1800 mm and a height of 50 mm. In addition, there are certain rules for their location in the house. The Japanese believe that improperly placed mats can negatively affect the human psyche and bring him unhappiness. It was not in vain that the Japanese samurai and ninja achieved the greatest concentration of will. And in this it was the tatami that played an important role. So the Japanese never have the right lattice on the tatami, and also so that the corners of three or four mats converge at the same time.

In principle, practical sense is also visible here, because there is absolutely no uncovered space left in the room. Mats do not lose their appearance in position, even if you run or jump on them. But, as they say, traditions are traditions. Even in modern Japanese houses, there is always at least one room completely covered with tatami.

In modern Western and European countries, tatami is not used for flooring. They cover the floor in the martial arts sections, as well as in judo and karate wrestling competitions. And although tatami is something like one of the many national symbols, nevertheless, they have hundreds of years of Japanese history and are an integral part of Japanese culture and life.

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The history of tatami is closely intertwined with the herb plant, the main raw material for flooring. Its porous structure regulates the microclimate in the living space, which is indispensable given the high humidity on the island. It has anti-allergenic and disinfecting properties. Tatami is a traditional flooring in Japan.

Tatami: educational program

It is a type of reed that resembles a sponge in its structure. This feature turned out to be indispensable in the difficult Japanese climate. The plant acts as a natural conditioner: it absorbs and releases moisture if necessary.

A tatami mat is a three-piece mat:

  1. The front part is dense, smooth and pleasant to the touch. It is woven from a rump.
  2. Inner part. It is multi-layered and densely woven from rice straw.
  3. Bottom part.

All components are elastic, so the tatami is a good shock absorber. The product holds its shape and absorbs impact when dropped. It has good thermal insulation properties, creating a feeling of comfort during cold and hot periods.

Due to the peculiarities of weaving and its hygroscopicity, the coating does not burn well. A hot coal on the tatami surface will not light up, but will smolder for a long time.

History

Previously, straw was used to stuff the Japanese mat. Now more and more often they use polystyrene, sheathing it with fabric.

About a thousand years ago, tatami was the luxurious decoration of the dwelling. Their importance was high, because people of high rank sat on them: emperors, samurai, officials and respected persons. Initially, such beddings were called goza. They were pleasant to the touch as they were finished with silk. Many centuries later, when ordinary people began to use them, they began to cover the entire floor space with mats.

Although now this coating is not so popular in Japanese homes, it can still often be found among residents who respect traditions.

Tatami: the meaning of the word

Translated from Japanese, this is "folding". This is what "tatami" means.

Historians believe that the first tatami mats were thin, they could be folded or rolled up.

Eastern countries are interesting for their reverent attitude towards traditions. Some do not go out of use for more than one century, but live in families for thousands of years. This also applies to the tatami.

Japanese people argue that improper placement of mats on the floor can cause trouble in the home. For example, mats are not placed in a regular grid on the floor so that three or four corners of the mat will come together. The meaning in this is quite practical, since asymmetrically laid mattresses do not move and do not get lost, even if you actively move along them.

Such mats are not fixed on the floor in any way, they receive guests, sleep, they make podiums.

Application

The dimensions of the flooring are strictly regulated. Rooms in Japanese houses are built in such a way as to fit the structure to the required number of tatami mats: from three to twelve pieces.

In Japan, housing is very expensive, it is noteworthy that the announcements for the delivery of apartments contain information about the number of mats. Thus, the Japanese let know about the area of ​​the apartment.

What does tatami mean in the current sense?

The standard dimensions are 0.9 by 1.8 m. The thickness of such a rug can reach six centimeters. With such dimensions, its weight can reach 30 kg. This is due to the ability of the reeds, which the tatami is filled with, to absorb moisture.

It is noteworthy that harmful insects do not start in such a mat.

Traditional use of tatami is:

  • maximum expansion of room space;
  • outlandish decor for a person of Western culture;
  • ecological environment;
  • comfort.

Such floor coverings are durable, but experts do not recommend wet cleaning of mats, as the filler can become moldy. It is better to use a vacuum cleaner and dry it every six months in the fresh air in sunny weather and turn it over the other side. Also in Eastern culture it is not customary to be on the mat with shoes or dirty feet.

Sport

In Western and Russian culture, tatami is, first of all, a projectile used by schools teaching oriental martial arts.

As sports mats, tatami mats are quite rigid, so they are used with caution.

Not so long ago, the UWW organization, which unites various types of martial arts, announced that the traditional tatami mat will change its colors. Red and yellow mats will be replaced by blue and orange ones.

This decision was made to improve the visual picture of the broadcast of the martial arts championships. Also, the organizers hope to attract new viewers. Earlier it was reported that the form of wrestlers will be targeted at the youth segment.

Many martial arts have their own etiquette, inextricably linked with the thousand-year history of the existence of tatami, transferred to sport from ordinary life. This is dictated not only by practical motives, but also by a tribute to the traditions of a great culture.