Review: D&D Traditional Japanese Futon (The Floor Isn’t Too Bad)

When I moved into my apartment I was faced with a dilemma. I could only bring a car full of stuff with me, and it turned out I had a lot of stuff. I had to leave behind some items I grew attached to, what’s more, is the big things were even more troublesome. The worst of which was my mattress.

I was moving a few hours away, I had no way to bring my giant mattress with me and I wasn’t really sure what to do about it. I wasn’t afraid of using a sleeping bag or something like that for awhile, but I didn’t necessarily want to. You know?

Before we begin, make sure you’re ordering the Japanese Futon from a legitimate retailer, NOT from a counterfeit seller. For your convenience, here is the Amazon link to an authentic Japanese Futon retailer.

One night I had a bit of an epiphany. I knew that humans lived without mattresses for a long time and I figured that some company out there was aware of that and had found a modern way of living without a normal bed. When I noticed companies coming out where they style and ship clothing to you such as Stitch Fix, I figured that someone had to have solved this mattress problem? My thought process was a bit strange here, but this is how I stumbled upon the world of Japanese Futons.

The basic idea is comfortable cotton bedding on top of a mat can potentially be more relaxing and healthier than a standard softbox spring bed. I was wary of this, but due to circumstances this was my best bet and I figured I’d try something new.

On Amazon, I found the well reviewed and not too expensive, D&D Traditional Japanese Futon. I sent my order to my new apartment, and it was waiting at my door by the time I arrived.

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The Bed

I have some issues with sleeping. It’s technically chronic insomnia, it’s been an issue since I was a child. Which is one of the reasons I was so open to trying a new type of mattress, but at the same time broached the matter with trepidation.

Good news is this futon was surprisingly adequate for a good night’s rest. It’s 3 inches thick 80 inches long and 30 inches wide, plenty of space for one person. I just plopped the thing down on the floor in my new bedroom, with a mat underneath it for sanitary reasons, and I was good to go. It’s very minimalist, which is a personal preference.

It also leaves me a lot of space. I was used to my bedroom being just that, a bedroom. But I can stow it and bring it back out pretty easily. Basically, it has given me an entire extra room for things, which is very nice. With a very small amount of effort my bedroom swaps from a place to sleep into a place to hang out or work in.

I’ve also noticed it’s very easy to travel with. When I know I’m going to be staying somewhere for a few days I can just bring my own bed with me now. It’s actually kind of awesome that way. I feel like I’m home just about anywhere, I’ve even used it in the backseat of my car on long road trips for a quick nap.

Comfort

It actually didn’t take long to get used to sleeping on what is basically the floor. I’ve always preferred a firm mattress anyway, and besides sleeping on the actual ground this is about as firm as it gets.

I wake up feeling a lot more relaxed than I used to when I use the futon. It stretches out your back while sleeping like this and you just feel better upon waking. It’s hard to compare it to anything besides it just feeling like a more natural way to sleep.

It’s helped my posture a lot as well. There used to be a certain amount of effort involved with maintaining a good posture throughout the day. With this bed, it just comes naturally because my back is flattened and stretched while I’m sleeping.

Still, I don’t find it as comfortable as a good standard mattress or even a couch. Plus there’s the issue of when you have company or a significant other with you who would like to sleep in the same bed. There really isn’t enough room for two people on it. Though, it never claims to be built for more than one person.

I don’t find those negatives too bad but for some, it may be a major issue. Potentially you could put two side by side, but I don’t know exactly how well that would work out.

Would I recommend this futon to others? Well, I have in the past for those in a similar situation as I was faced.

I’ll admit, I’ve since moved back to a regular mattress for the most part. But, I’ll still bust out my futon from time to time for guests and even myself when I just feel like I’m not getting enough rest.

Plus, it’s very nice to be able to bring a mattress with me no matter where I am. There’s a certain amount of comfort in sleeping on something you know and are used to at all times.

It’s an odd product and an even more odd way to sleep. I’m not exactly sure how I feel about it. It’s less comfortable than most things I’ve slept on, yet I find myself getting better sleep on it.

In the meantime, I’ve also found that ordering meals using Sun Basket, and with this sun basket promo code is a fun experience since I’ve been introduced to meals I’ve never cooked before.

The pros of this futon versus a conventional mattress are that it seems to give me a better sleep, it stores easily (giving you more space in your room), and you can travel with it. The main cons are that it’s really only useful for sleeping alone and it’s just not as comfortable as a regular mattress.

Pick your battles friends, see if the pros outweigh the cons for you. I maintain that it’s a worthwhile product to own, even if you don’t find yourself sleeping on it every night.