It didn’t take long for the futon mattress to get popular in the West. Although it’s gone through some Westernization, as with adding a folding frame to the mattress, it’s basic function remains: a mattress to sleep on. In Japan the futon is much thinner, about two inches thick, and is folded up and stuck in a closet when it’s not being used. In the West we use the frame as a substitute sofa. Both kinds of futon mattresses provide extra space when not being used. The largest difference between them is structure. The Japanese mattress is made of thin cotton batting whereas in the West it resembles a normal mattress, about five inches thick and uses different fillers like cotton, cotton and foam, wool, polyester and some even have springs. And while the Japanese version is laid on rice and straw mats called tatami, the West uses wooden frames that fold up conveniently into another piece of furniture.
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