News

Starting from 10:00 AM on November 26, 2025 (JST), we have launched the pre-sale of our “Miracle Foldable Tatami Mat” on the Japanese crowdfunding platform Makuake. This innovative product has already proven its popularity, having raised approximately 25 million yen on Kickstarter, the world’s largest crowdfunding website. Our international backers praised the comfort of traditional Japanese living and the convenience of the foldable design, sharing comments such as, “It feels like traveling to Japan at home.” These encouraging voices inspired us to further improve the product for the Japanese market. For Makuake, we are releasing an enhanced “Japan-edition” model. This updated...

“PIXEL WEAVE,” an art rug featuring the world-renowned painting Mona Lisa, is a unique piece that blends traditional igusa weaving techniques with digital pixel expression. Designed by textile designer Hana Mitsui (Hana Lab Mitsui), the work is crafted with Japanese grown igusa and woven meticulously to create a striking visual effect. Mona Lisa appears clearly from a distance, while up close, the intricate texture formed by countless pixels becomes visible. The piece measures 88 cm × 176 cm, the size of a standard “Edoma” tatami mat. This innovative work received the Silver Award at the Fukuoka Design Award 2025. Out of...

On Friday, May 30, 2025, the 3rd Kyushu Tatami Summit was held in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture. It was the first time in several years that the event took place, and it brought together people from all walks of life who share a deep passion for igusa (rush grass) and tatami. The atmosphere was lively, and everyone seemed genuinely excited to be part of it. The speakers offered a variety of insights. Some talked about the potential of igusa as a renewable resource, while others shed light on the tough situation facing igusa farming today. Each message, delivered from a...

A collaboration event between Ippudo and Ōki Town was held, and we participated by creating original igusa (rush grass) products. On the day of the event, an igusa noren (traditional fabric divider) was displayed at the store entrance, and guests enjoyed their meals using igusa placemats and coasters inside. Special ramen featuring mushrooms, a specialty of Ōki Town, was also served. It was a wonderful day many people got to discover the charm of Ōki Town!