Creating new tatami mat accessories using tatami bordering and new materials

With western style interior living spaces growing, it’s not rare for houses to longer have Japanese-style rooms. Hoping to reverse this trend, Matsuhiko Awaji founded TATAMISER Co., Ltd. in July 2015. “In the past my family operated a tatami wholesale business, so I’ve been around tatami since I was a kid. Tatami is a one-of-a-kind Japanese flooring material which is essential to Japanese-style rooms. I started this internet-based business so that people would learn more about the appeals of tatami. While the company provides re-covering work for Japanese tatami rooms, their tatami mats for western-style rooms are particularly popular. Many orders are tailored to fit the dimensions of the room. Using natural plant materials, tatami’s appeal lies in its unique fragrance and texture, and though producers of this plant material have decreased, a new type of material has been adopted. Coated with resin, this new material is resistant to mold and mites, and requires no upkeep. And most of all, the rich colored variations provide a modern touch. “The original plant-based tatami and the new material have different appeals, and we hope people will select the one that best matches their needs,” says Awaji

In addition to selling made-to-order, specially sized tatami, Awaji is also working to innovate new tatami products. “Tatami mats have traditional designs, even for the edged borders that run vertically along the sides. We hope to offer up a new approach to these tatami traditions, which have continued from the Heian period,” says Awaji. The company creates unique tatami items such as glove compartments, cat mats, and more. “I came up with the idea for the cat mat after seeing a video on the internet with a cat going into a hexagon-shaped tape pattern pasted on a tatami floor. Though it’s intended for cats, it’s simply a hexagon-shaped mat, and can be used as an interior design flourish. In the future, we will continue to create products using tatami materials, in the hopes of showing people the appeal of the material.”