Tatami luminosi

Da JapanToday:

This tatami mat floor lights up during a traditional tea ceremony thanks to a company that uses LED lighting to illuminate traditional Japanese flooring. Called Hikari Tatami (literally light-up straw flooring), there are three color variations to choose from: brown, white and purple. The white design even allows for cool and warm light display options.

The LED bulb layout can also be selected for personalised interior designs. The floors are then set up through a wall outlet switch by a qualified electrician. Each mat is hand crafted in Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, using local Japanese Rush Grass, which gives you the traditional fragrance of straw mat floors. When the mat is turned off it looks like regular tatami, only this type comes with a one-year warranty and is said to be stronger and more resilient.

While a single square mat with one LED bulb will set you back about 148,000 yen, restaurant owners are attracted to the durability and surprising energy efficiency of the unique flooring.