So, the first day in my apartment I had very few things on my mind. Find some form of food, stay warm, and make my bed... which was a trickier business than I expected.
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I am glad that I had the fore warnings from my go-to Japanese guide in America and also read a how-to instruction guide in the room I stayed in for training because I never would have guessed what to do otherwise. There are variations in bedding in Japan; some people even use western box-spring mattresses. However, I start with the cushion (blue thing) and the futon.
Then take the (white) futon and put it inside the sheets. There are no elastic corners on these puppies, you just stick it inside and zip it up like a Ziploc bag of bed. It's a much bigger hassle for me than putting the elastic corners on a mattress. However, they also stay on much better so you don't have to worry about being tangled in your sheets as you sleep.
Next take out the blanket (also white in this case).
And place the blanket inside another sheet and zip it up. There is no middle sheet.
I actually like the sheet-ed blanket better because it serves the same function as the middle sheet without the possibility of getting wrapped and twisted tho wrong way. It also makes the bed easier to make in the morning.
Viola, a bed.
Then, every week or so when you change the sheets and hang them out to dry on the balcony because there is no dryer. You also have to hang the futon itself out to dry or else it molds, particularly in the summer. But be careful that it does not rain or snow that day!!!
Unfortunately, I was spoiled in America, and think that this futon is not quite fluffy enough to be completely satisfying... But they sell padding in the home-goods store to fix that problem if it becomes annoying. For now I am happy with my little Japanese floor-bed.
