XLIV - Jōmō-Kōgen

Pardon the mess!

Another of the elements which characterize Japanese rooms, other than shōji doors and paper lanterns, are oshiire (おしいれ - "closet").

Oshiire are built-in closets which are used to store any bedding which is used at night-time, to keep the room free during the day. This is because Japanese houses usually have very minimal furniture and do not have rooms specifically intended for a purpose like we do (e.g. dining room, living room, bedroom), but each room can serve multiple purposes, according to what items are placed on the tatami (畳, "mat").

The futon (布団 - "padded mattress") which can be seen on the floor have been carefully folded and stored away after breakfast, along with the taoruketto (たおるけっと - "large towel") which is used as a blanket during the humid summer and the makura (枕 - "pillow"), a surprisingly comfortable pillow filled with beans or buckwheat chaff.

I can honestly say I have seldom slept as comfortably as on that futon.