The fabric attached to the edges at both ends of a tatami mat is called tatami-beri (tatami edging).
Tatami-beri can also be used for handmade crafts.
There is a shop in the Bikan Historical Area where you can buy tatami-beri and stylish goods made with it.
Lightweight, durable, and perfect as a special souvenir.
We visited FLAT, a tatami-beri and tatami-beri goods shop that is a popular topic among visitors and loved by locals alike.
FLAT has two locations, its Kojima main store and its Bikan Historical Area store. This article focuses on the Bikan Historical Area store.
The information provided was accurate when this article was published in April 2022. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is tatami-beri?
Tatami-beri is the woven fabric attached to both ends of a tatami mat.
Tatami mats are made by covering the “tatami-doko,” the core made from rice straw (inawara) and other materials, with “tatami-omote,” woven rush, then sewing “tatami-beri” along the long sides.
Tatami-beri serves the following purposes:
- Holds the components of the tatami mat together
- Prevents wear and fraying of the tatami surface
- Closes gaps between tatami mats and helps keep dust from accumulating
- Decorates the room
The oldest surviving tatami dates from the Nara period, and apparently cloth was used for its edging as well.
Toward the end of the Meiji period, tatami became commonplace, and narrow tatami-beri began to be made specifically for tatami mats.
Cotton and hemp yarn were used in the past, but today most tatami-beri is woven from synthetic fibers.
Tatami mats with tatami-beri can be used for longer than those without, making them an environmentally friendly choice.
Okayama, tatami-beri, and Takata Orimono
Tatami-beri production began in Okayama around 1921.
Its reputation for quality spread, and demand grew nationwide.
As of 2022, 80% of tatami-beri is produced in Okayama Prefecture.
About half of that—40% of the national tatami-beri market—is produced by Takata Orimono.
The company was founded as a textile manufacturer in 1892 and began making tatami-beri in the early Showa period.
In the late 1950s, it became the first in the industry to develop patterned tatami-beri.
Since then, the company has continued developing new tatami-beri and raising awareness of the product. Today, it manufactures and sells around 1,000 varieties.
Tatami-beri may often be thought of as something plain and unremarkable.
But Takata Orimono offers an astonishing variety: plain and traditional Japanese patterns, as well as colorful, cute, and Western-style designs.
It greatly expands the possibilities for coordinating a room.
Tatami-beri as a material
Takata Orimono has long worked to develop new uses for tatami-beri.
As a result, tatami-beri, once simply “part of a tatami mat,” has recently attracted attention as a material in its own right.
Tatami-beri is supple, lightweight, resistant to friction, and very durable.
It cannot be ironed or washed, but it is thick, easy to crease, and has a distinctive sheen and firmness.
The company has partnered with publishers specializing in handicrafts to publish several handmade books featuring tatami-beri, winning over craft enthusiasts.
It can be sewn by machine or by hand.
This distinctive 80-millimeter-wide woven fabric, developed as edging for tatami mats, is increasingly valued as an interesting and appealing material for other uses as well.
What is FLAT?
FLAT is a directly operated shop opened by Takata Orimono in 2014 to raise awareness of tatami-beri and increase its value.
As of 2022, there are two locations.
| Store | Address |
|---|---|
| FLAT Kojima Main Store | 2-2-53 Karakoto, Kojima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| FLAT Bikan Historical Area Store | 1-4-16 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture (inside the Japanese Folk Toy Museum) |
FLAT Kojima Main Store is a factory shop on the same grounds as the factory.
Visitors to the factory can browse the products right away.
You can also shop without taking a factory tour.
Some customers even come from outside Okayama Prefecture to choose tatami-beri for their Japanese-style rooms.
The Kojima Main Store follows the factory’s operating days, so it is generally open on weekdays. See the business calendar for details.
As its name suggests, FLAT Bikan Historical Area Store is located in the Bikan Historical Area.
It serves as an antenna shop, making it easy to drop in while sightseeing.
It carries miscellaneous goods and original accessories, making it perfect for souvenirs.
The Kojima Main Store is larger, but the Bikan Historical Area Store has more miscellaneous goods, including some items available only there.
FLAT products
What kinds of products does FLAT offer?
Here are some of the items available at FLAT Bikan Historical Area Store.
Prices shown are tax-inclusive prices as of April 2022.
Tatami-beri
You can buy a 10-meter roll (enough for two tatami mats) for ¥990 and up, or offcuts of about 1.5 meters for ¥330.
There are so many patterns to choose from!
Examples of the materials and time needed for handmade projects are as follows:
| Project | Materials | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ribbon knot | 25 cm of tatami-beri + a hair tie, etc. | About 5 minutes |
| Flat pencil case | About 70 cm of tatami-beri (adjust the length as desired) | About 10 minutes |
| Pocket tissue case | 75 cm of tatami-beri | About 20 minutes |
The 1.5-meter offcuts are long enough to make plenty of small items, such as pouches and card cases.
Free handmade patterns are also available to take home, so you can easily try making something with tatami-beri.
Some patterns are also featured in videos.
Tatami-beri shark (small) (¥5,500)
Its back is made of tatami-beri, its belly of denim, the strap connecting the carabiner (metal ring) is Sanada-himo, and even the name tag is made in Kojima.
It is a lightweight, durable pouch made using products from Kojima, Kurashiki City.
It can hold a 5.5-inch smartphone and other items in its mouth.
This unique shark pouch is cute and easy for anyone to use, and apparently children love it too.
You can thread it through a belt or attach it to a bag using the carabiner.
It comes in a variety of colors and patterns, so find your favorite.
Mini tatami-making kit (¥2,640)
A kit for making your own mini tatami mat.
Tatami-beri is not included, so you can choose your favorite color and pattern in the store.
The “mini tatami-making experience,” an optional activity during Takata Orimono factory tours, has been very popular, and customers said they wanted to try it at home too.
In response, the company’s employees developed this mini tatami-making kit.
You can watch a how-to video on YouTube.
It would be fun to display Japanese-style accessories or figurines on it.
Coin purse (¥550)
These coin purses come in a wide variety of designs, including family crests, Japanese patterns, cats, and flowers.
There are also designs inspired by the packaging of Ote Manju and “G-Panda,” Kojima’s mascot, as well as other patterns associated with Okayama.
Original items by local artists
FLAT Bikan Historical Area Store carries many items made by local artists.
The artists themselves are sometimes at the store on Saturdays and Sundays.
You may be able to hear directly about the details they put care into.
The “Kurashiki Girls Collection” project also offers products made by women connected to Kurashiki, turning traditional local materials into items for everyday use.
They sell a variety of items made with tatami-beri, including charms, earrings, key straps, corsages, and hair accessories.
Handmade Recipe Book
Some recipes are available to take home for free, but for those who want to explore in more depth, we recommend the book.
Make Covered Buttons at a Workshop
You can also enjoy a workshop making covered buttons with tatami-beri.
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, as of April 2022, workshops are held only on weekends and public holidays. The activities have also been shortened.
Choose your favorite pattern from around 35 types of tatami-beri and make a hair tie, magnet, or brooch.
The available tatami-beri patterns vary depending on the time of year.
Each item costs 300 yen and takes about five minutes to make.
Recommended for both adults and children.
Next, we interviewed Naoshi Takata, president of Takata Orimono Co., Ltd.
FLAT Information
| Name | FLAT |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-4-16 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture (inside the Japanese Folk Toy Museum) |
| Contact | 086-435-0014 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. *Hours are currently shortened to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 |
| Closed | None Year-end and New Year holidays |
| Payment methods |
|
| Website | FLAT Online Shop (Takata Orimono) |
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