text: instructions for japanese beddings? to help my son and my future daughter -in -law fix their bed on the floor.  this is their plans and i want to help them not hinder  them. futon are traditional japanese sleeping mattresses which are made from cotton batting and covered in fine cloth. a traditional japanese bed consists of two futon – ‘shikibuton’ which is the base mattress on which one sleeps and ‘kakebuton’ which is the comforter. today most japanese use beds, however many homes are equipped with “guest futons” which are stored in closets in tatami mat rooms. try this website. it will teach you a lot. http://www.japancorner.com/default.asp