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Tatami-
English Definition:
Woven straw mats used as flooring in traditional and modern Japanese-style homes
In the late 8th century A.D.,
tatami mats were used as moveable,
isolated pieces, the size of which dictated social rank. By the 14th century,
floors were entirely covered with
tatami mats. Today, the
tatami
is a common unit of measurement when discussing home and apartment floor
space in Japan. One
tatami is equal to about 3 feet by 6 feet.
Note: "
Tatami mats" relates to the craft,
Tategu,
Japanese home interior fixtures, such as
shoji
screens, panels and doors, as well as fusuma sliding doors.