Mr.Arai describes an acutal tatami
surface and its features.
| What
we learned: |
| １．Tatami
is hospitality itself |
| ２．Why
tatami became thick,
heavy and large |
| ３．The
many fanctions of
tatami and the endless
possibilities |
| ４．The
history of tatami
is as old as the statue
of The Goddess of
Mercy |
| ５．The
function of tatami
as flooring |
| ６．Ergonomics,
space Engineering,
and natual science |
| ７．People,
food and tatami |
| ８．The
thoughtfulness behind
tatami |
|
Tatami products are made from
"Igusa"(or rushes),
a grass which grows to 2 meters.
Inside a tatami wherehouse.Itis
unbeleivable how many types of
tatami there are.
|
Brocures and catalogs
printed in Japanese
and English were provided
to attendees. |
The meeting commenced
with green tea. We
learned history of
tatami and the technology
used to make it.
|
Mr.Arai sees Japan
throuh tatami. He
wishes to spread the
culture of tatami
throught the world
as he cares deeply
traditional behind
it. But not to be
a slave of tradition,
he uses new technology
to make his products.
Drinking beer after
the tour I mentioned
to Mr.Arai that the
way he deal with tatami
is very admirable.He
replied in a most
eloquent Japanese
expression that tatami
for him is only something
to play with. Meeting
Mr.Arai increased
my interst in tatami
culture and gave me
a good sense of the
old downtown Tokyo
personality. |
|
|
