I bought a frame from tatamiroom.com. I bought tatami mats from Tokyo Tatami Maker. They’re custom made to fit in the frame.  You can order samples from Tokyo Tatami Maker before you buy. Tokyo Tatami Maker has a lot of choices. I did not choose the igusa. Igusa has a natural hay/grass-like scent. The odor fades over time. Personally I don’t find the odor offensive; just very strong. I’m scent sensitive so the igusa odor would definitely bother me while trying to sleep.  I bought the Tokyo Gloss checkered pattern from the Tokyo series. The Tokyo Series Gloss can be wiped with a damp cloth if needed. I’m buying a mattress from Matsu; they’re in California. Matsu was recommended by another Reddit poster.  I’m getting the four inch wool and cotton mattress. I called Matsu. They make their own mattresses. The woman I spoke with was very nice. J Life International sells Gold Bond mattresses. Gold Bond is an American company.  I bought a Gold Bond mattress years ago for a living room futon chair. Bought it from a local futon store.  I still have it. Gold Bond futon mattresses come in different models. The Gold Bond mattresses I saw are the typical cotton & foam American futon. They’re not bad mattresses but definitely not a shikibuton. I suspect J Life Internstional may not be as Japanese as they lead people to believe. More on reddit.com

Importing to where? Things can start to get expensive really quickly because of international shipping, so even if you can find a good futon set, it will cost hundreds of dollars to ship it overseas. You may consider looking at one of these options if you are living in the USA: http://www.marukaiestore.com/c-225_bedding-futon.aspx http://soaringheart.com/collections/our-shikibutons More on reddit.com

To get this out of the way, TLDR: A Japanese futon is not intended to be, and will not be, BIFL. The lifetime of a Japanese futon is strongly dependent on following what I think most non-Japanese people would consider pretty intensive care instructions -- like placing the futon on a breathable surface (e.g. tatami mats), folding up and packing away the futon every day, and airing it out in direct sunlight weekly. If you spill something on it, good luck -- traditional futons from cotton can barely be cleaned, and even then only by specialty futon cleaners, which are going to be hard to find outside of Japan, and no matter where you are, very expensive and the turnaround time isn't fast. I would consider something that will need early replacement without dedicated adherence to strict care instructions to not totally be aligned with the BIFL spirit -- sure, it may be quality, but durable and practical not so much. How long can you get out of a traditional cotton-filled Japanese futon in the best case scenario? You can go longer of course like with any mattress, but after the 10 year mark you're very likely to experience a very noticeable drop off in comfort. For this reason, traditional futon shops do offer services like futon reconstruction (see this link for an example) where they try to re-use some of the materials but essentially re-make it. Also worth observing is that most Japanese people do not use futons, and of those that do, most buy the newer, cheaper, synthetic futons from places like Nitori (which I'd consider Target-esque, to make a US retail reference). The sythentic ones can be washed in a washing machine, which for most people, increase the lifetime because it can actually be cleaned if something happens. All that is to say, even in Japan, traditional futons are an (expensive) dying craft and now a specialty product. If you think you might want to try one, I'd recommend getting a cheap synthetic version and seeing how you like it -- it is very different in feel and care from a typical mattress situation. And if you do decide go eventually go down the futon route, embrace that it is more wabi-sabi than BIFL. The https://www.reddit.com/r/floorsleeping/ sub is your best bet for recommendations I think. My background: Lived in Japan. Have slept on floor mattresses for the past 20 years and loved them despite their intensive care instructions and propensity to mold (particularly in humid climates, like the UK, but even in dry climates like California) if those care instructions are not strictly followed. Currently use one of the modern style trifold foam mattresses on a Japanese-made desiccation floor sheet from Nitori. More on reddit.com

Talk me in to it, or talk me out!! Currently bedsharing on a full sized mattress in a raised frame (Western style), firm mattress. I’m... More on old.reddit.com