Tradition of Japanese Futon-Making

The Nagoya-based futon maker Niwa Futonten has been preserving traditional bedding craftsmanship inherited since the Meiji period. Established 150 years ago, the family-run business has been hand producing their prized traditional bedding with the natural comfort of cotton and floss silk, using futon technology that can only be achieved by the gentle care of the craftsman’s hands. Now headed by fifth-generation master craftsman Takuya Niwa, Japan’s number one futon artisan is modifying traditional futon-making techniques to mold contemporary designs and offer aid for today’s bustling life.

History of Niwa Futonten

Niwa Futonten was established in 1933 from a former cotton-beating business founded by Tadashichi. Their unique futon-making tradition and skilful handling of natural materials are largely owed to their former roots of beating cotton. The workshop is currently run by fourth-generation master craftsman Masayuki Niwa and his son Takuya, who have both previously been awarded prestigious national prizes including the Prime Minister’s prize and the 26th Monozukuri Nippon Grand Award. Niwa Futonten’s history is also situated within the wider Bishu region, home to a thriving woven textile industry since the Nara period. Their contemporary iterations, led by Takuya Niwa, merge the knowledge of the surrounding industry with their own tradition, borrowing textiles originating in the Bishu region to craft their latest line of pillows and sofas.

Japanese Tradition, Skill and Material

Beginning with the careful selection of natural materials, cottons of varying fibre lengths and thickness are layered to an appropriate ratio to achieve ultimate body support, with attention to detail in the shifting weather conditions and the climate which shapes the natural materials. The blended cotton is then shaped to a beautifully sculpted silhouette with meticulous corners that endure the test of time. The perfect balance of absorbency, moisture retention and density in cotton that lend the futon its exceptional comfort is the result of the intuitive skill harnessed through generations of knowledge passed down through the craftsmen’s hands. Due to the expertise required to create long-lasting comfort, a made-to-order futon typically takes up to three years to craft and only 1-2 futons are produced in a day.

Shaping New Objects For Comfort

Niwa Futonten continues to expand their expertise beyond futon with the philosophy of ‘tradition, skill and material’ to construct contemporary interiors. What has slowly faded from sight in the modern home, Niwa Futon’s contemporary range of zabutons (sitting cushions) are hand produced in the same tradition as their prized futon. Keeping its core values, Niwa Futonten endeavours to reintroduce forgotten values embodied in traditional designs such as the zabuton, which were once inherent to traditional Japanese culture.