– Tell me about the 17th Century (1600) Japanese pillows I saw in the movie Shogun that look like a block of wood with fabric around them. Is that what they are? How could they be comfortable?

Question

– Tell me about the 17th Century (1600) Japanese pillows I saw in the movie Shogun that look like a block of wood with fabric around them. Is that what they are? How could they be comfortable?

In: 11

Answer 1

I can’t speak to what style they used in Japan, but a little bit of ergonomically correct neck support is a lot more comfortable than having your head directly flat. If they are scooped into little cups that fit your skull and polished smoothly, I can imagine them being quite comfortable even without much padding. It wouldn’t take much padding to make them surprisingly comfortable if you’re a back sleeper. It’s similar to how a master carpenter can make a wooden chair that’s extremely comfortable just by shaping it and smoothing it correctly.