Japanese culture is one that values simplicity, quality, and beauty. The kakebuton is the perfect example of this – they are simple, can be made with quality materials, and look beautiful. They’re also inexpensive! This blog post will show you how to make your own traditional Japanese kakebuton in a variety of styles ranging from easy to more difficult. You’ll even learn how to paint them for decoration or customization if desired!
The History of Kakebuton
The kakebuton is a type of comforter – it’s usually square with a thick layer of batting on the inside. The term “kakebuton” comes from the Japanese word 「掛け布団」(かけぶとん), which means “something you drape over yourself while sleeping.” The traditional Japanese kakebuton is filled with cotton batting; they can be stuffed with more or less depending on your preference.
Kakebuton colors, patterns, and styles
The Japanese like to keep things simple while still looking beautiful – this applies to their bedding too. Kakebutons come in just a few different styles, all of which are easy to recognize. They usually have some sort of geometrical pattern that doesn’t distract from the simple design.
Types of Japanese kakebuton
The most common type of Japanese kakebuton is the chirimen-zoki 【絣柄】. The term 「絣」(かけ) means “figured cloth” which are usually colorful silk fabrics with flower, bird, or plant motifs. A flowery design that’s often used is called nadeshiko 【撫子】(なでしこ), which literally means “the pink that soothes.” Even today, it is still worn by young Japanese women on special occasions.
Another popular pattern is hana-karakusa 【花華繋】(はなからくさ). This pattern consists of diagonal lines crossing each other with a “flower” motif on one of the lines.
Here is the link: https://www.kotatsutable.org/kakebuton/
A less common but popular pattern is karakusa 【華菊】 (からくさ). This design has a large, stylized flower and it can be made to look like vines wrapping around the comforter. It’s easy to recognize but difficult to make; this type of kakebuton takes quite a bit of time and effort since each line must be sewn individually.
How to wear a Japanese kakebuton
Japanese kakebutons can be worn in a couple different ways. Around the house, they are most commonly used as sleeping attire. 【How to Wear】
Popular Japanese Kakebuton Brands
There are quite a few popular brands of Japanese kakebutons available for purchase at stores like Amazon and eBay . Here’s a list of some top-rated sellers:
JAPAN Style Pure Cotton Sateen Quilt Comforter *Bargain* – Twin size, 100 x 88 inches
Mura 夢瑠 – 選べる3タイプの絣柄の掛布団【Kakenagashi】(かけ流し): a popular brand that sells a variety of kakebutons
Murasaki-no – comforter with a geometric animal pattern
Kurainotan – simple but high quality quilt comforter from Kurainotan, which is Japan’s oldest fabric store
How to wash a Japanese kakebuton
Kakebutons are easy to wash – they can be machine-washed on delicate with cold water and gentle cycle. Do not use bleach or fabric softener; these products will damage the kakebuton’s materials. Dry clean is also an option if desired, but it generally isn’t necessary.
Making your own Japanese-style kakebuton comforter is easier than you’d expect! You just need two different kinds of cloth plus some batting. Here’s how:
- The first kind of cloth should be thick enough that it doesn’t easily tear but still looks nice. It can be made of cotton, silk, wool, pure polyester, or some other material depending on the color and pattern you want.
- The other cloth can be anything thin that still looks nice – typically, old sheets or other thin cloth are used for this purpose.
Making a Japanese-style kakebuton out of cotton fabric
Cut out four 10″ x 10″ squares from the thick cotton fabric, two 11″ x 11″ squares from the medium-weight fabric, and one 18″ x 18″ square from the thin fabric. Place them in an X formation with thin fabric on top:
Each inner square will become one section of the comforter; sew together all four sections using a 1/2 inch seam allowance (not shown) . When finished, it should look like this: