A is a Japanese

chair A chair is a type of seat, typically designed for one person and consisting of one or more legs, a flat or slightly angled seat and a back-rest. They may be made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials, and may be padded or upholstered in vario ...

with a back and no legs. They are often found in traditional rooms with tatami mats, and are often used for relaxing under heated ''

kotatsu A is a low, wooden table frame covered by a ''futon'', or heavy blanket, upon which a table top sits. Underneath is a heat source, formerly a charcoal brazier but now electric, often built into the table itself. ''Kotatsu'' are used almost ...

'' tables.

Description

A is a Japanese

with a back and no legs. They are often found in traditional rooms with tatami mats, and are often used for relaxing under heated ''

'' tables. ''Zaisu'' come in many styles, and can either have a cushion built in or be used with a ''

zabuton A zabuton ( ja, 座布団, lit=sitting futon, links=no, ) is a cushion for sitting that is commonly used in traditional Japanese settings. Zabuton is a Japanese loanword that is also sometimes used in Western culture to describe the ''zaniku'', a ...

''. For an even more relaxed seating arrangement, one may also use a Japanese style armrest called a .

Use

Traditionally, the correct sitting style in Japan is ''

seiza ): "proper/correct sitting", seiza ( ja, , link=no): "quiet sitting" , Jing zuo '' Seiza '' ( or , literally "proper sitting") is the formal, traditional way of sitting in Japan. Form To sit ''seiza''-style, one must first be kneeling on the ...

'',

kneeling Kneeling is a basic human position where one or both knees touch the ground. Kneeling is defined as “to position the body so that one or both knees rest on the floor,” according to Merriam-Webster. Kneeling when only composed of one knee, and ...

with the weight on top of the lower legs, which are folded underneath the body. However this can become painful after long periods of time or for people who are not used to it, so many prefer the ''zaisu'', where the back is supported and legs can be positioned more comfortably. ''Zaisu'' are very common in Japan, particularly in houses with traditional Japanese-style rooms (''

washitsu A , meaning "Japanese-style room(s)", and frequently called a "tatami room" in English, is a Japanese room with traditional tatami flooring. also usually have sliding doors (), rather than hinged doors between rooms. They may have and, if the ...

'') where low tables and sitting on a floor of tatami mats are commonplace. They are used for relaxing on a cold night under a heated ''kotatsu'' table.

References

{{reflist Chairs Japanese home Portable furniture