A day for futons

Today, and February 10th annually, is both Futon Day (ふとんの日) and Futon Cleaning Day (ふとんをクリーニングする日). The date comes from a simple bit of wordplay — fu (2) and ton (10) — together sound like “futon.”

What’s nice about Futon Day is that it highlights something we often take for granted. Futons are such a familiar part of Japanese life, whether you sleep directly on tatami or place them on a bed frame. They’re practical, easy to store, and designed to keep you warm and comfortable through the night. The modern futon — the rectangular, cotton‑filled style we know today — only really took shape after the Meiji era, but the history behind it stretches much further back. Before cotton became widely available, people slept on straw mats or woven rush and covered themselves with their daytime clothing.

Likewise, Futon Cleaning Day, is a reminder that the futons we use, often daily, need to be cleaned periodically. You will find some posts on City-cost with recommendations on how to clean your futon. Both anniversaries are a sweet reminder of how this simple piece of bedding evolved in Japan and how it continues to shape cozy, restful nights across Japan, and even in other countries too.