With wood flooring now the norm in newer homes, some people may feel they have fewer opportunities to see tatami mats in their daily lives.
Even as people move away from tatami, we want you to experience its comfort and appeal in your everyday life.
With this in mind, Miyoshi Tatami Shop, run by a female craftsperson, is located in Kurashiki Mizushima. While preserving traditional techniques, the shop also meets modern needs with offerings such as borderless tatami, washi tatami, and mats in a wide range of colors.
We introduce stories from when the first-generation owner founded Miyoshi Tatami Shop in 1970, as well as the thoughts behind the tatami-making of its third-generation owner.
The information presented here is current as of the article’s publication in August 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About Miyoshi Tatami Shop
Miyoshi Tatami Shop’s store and workshop are located near the industrial area of Mizushima.
When asked about making or repairing tatami, the shop first visits the customer’s home to take measurements and hear their preferences. Based on this, it prepares an estimate, explains the details, and then proceeds with the work.
The services and products currently offered by Miyoshi Tatami Shop are as follows:
- Tatami making and repair
- Borderless tatami making
- Washi tatami making
- Re-covering fusuma, shoji, and screen doors
- Making products from tatami edging
Tatami making and repair
The shop makes new tatami and also provides maintenance.
New tatami making
Making new tatami means replacing the core material in the center, called the tatami-doko.
New tatami is made for newly built homes, as well as for old mats whose core has deteriorated.
Tatami-doko
The inner board that forms the core of a tatami mat.
Traditional materials include rice straw; more recently, lightweight building boards are used, made by combining compressed wood chips with compressed or foamed polystyrene.
Flipping and re-covering
With use, the part that inevitably fades or becomes damaged is the tatami-omote, the woven mat surface.
Tatami-omote
The woven igusa surface that we touch directly.
These days, materials made from washi are also available.
Continuing to use tatami in poor condition not only makes it look bad, but also allows dirt and dust to accumulate, making mold and pests more likely to develop.
When asked to flip or re-cover tatami, the shop first takes the mats back to the workshop, removes the edging, and peels off the old woven surface.
For flipping, the tatami core is kept as is, and the old woven surface is turned over so its clean underside faces up. Since both sides of the woven surface can be used, flipping is possible within 10 years of use.
Re-covering keeps the existing tatami core and replaces only the woven surface with a new one. Re-covering is recommended for tatami that has been flipped for more than five years.
Borderless tatami making
These mats are finished by folding the woven surface over, without using the fabric edging attached to the long or short sides of a tatami mat.
They are now available in a wide range of colors and are very popular because they suit rooms with a Western-style atmosphere.
Washi tatami making
These tatami mats are made not from igusa, but from washi paper twisted into cord-like strands.
Because they are processed to resemble real igusa, they look almost identical to regular tatami.
They do not have the fragrance of igusa, but are currently a popular material because they are less prone to discoloration and damage.
Tatami mats may all look the same at first glance, but each is made to fit the dimensions of a room, so their sizes vary slightly.
Their sizes also differ depending on where they are placed in the room, so they cannot be swapped around arbitrarily.
Re-covering fusuma, shoji, and screen doors
The shop also handles requests to re-cover fusuma, shoji, and screen doors, which require regular maintenance.
They are re-covered when torn or when they become old and discolored.
Making products from tatami edging
The shop makes bags, pen cases, card cases, and other items using tatami edging. Each is handmade, making them popular as gifts.
Tatami-beri
The fabric strip attached to the long sides of a tatami mat.
It comes in a wide variety of designs and colors, and can change the look of a room.
Replacing tatami can transform the look of a room, but it is something done only once every few years. That is why it is important to choose a shop you can trust.
Miyoshi Tatami Shop is small, but its sincere and attentive service has earned it many repeat customers.
We spoke with the owner of Miyoshi Tatami Shop, which offers a variety of services and products to meet the needs of the times.
Miyoshi Tatami Shop details
| Name | Miyoshi Tatami Shop |
|---|---|
| Address | 4-8-9 Nakase, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-455-7297 |
| Website | Miyoshi Tatami Shop |
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