Oriental Furniture Traditional Beige Kitchen Mat, 3' x 3'

History of Tatami: Tatami mats come to you straight from the Far East, where they have been making Tatami for hundreds of years. Tatami mats started as floor coverings and were also used to make chairs or benches by placing several Tatami on top of each other. When they were first made, Tatami mats were seen as luxury items for the wealthy when most people had dirt floors. Another function of Tatami was to indicate rank. The most exalted members of a ceremony or gathering were given the privilege of sitting on the Tatami, while others sat on the wooden floor. Tatami mats are much more widely used today, but are still employed for Japanese religious rites and tea ceremonies.