The futon bed that is the conventional sleeping arrangement in Japan is made of two parts. The bottom part is called the shikibuton and is the mattress layer. The topper layer is a quilted cover called the kakebuton. Together, they combine to form the entire futon mattress bed.
We are more used to the style that we have here in the West. Our mattresses are made much thicker and have only one main piece. The in-fill is usually cotton or wool wrapped around a layer of foam. Now, you can even get inner coil springs and memory foam. The Japanese futon mattress is placed upon tatami mats and the mattress parts are hung out to air quite often. This way, they can not only get freshened but the space can be used for something other than a bedroom.
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