Tatami

Inspired by the grittiness of paranoid thrillers from the 1970s, “Tatami” was sparked into existence by real-life cases of Iranian athletes defecting to other countries, from boxer Sadaf Khadem to Taekwondo champion Kimia Alizadeh.

The small restaurant had an elevated tatami dining room lined with large windows facing the sea, but the jungle had taken over completely, blocking the view of Hoshizuna Beach below.

When the crew get to their Airbnb, there’s more squealing over the retro chic of the traditional-style house, complete with a tatami room and a (a table with a heater underneath).

Another thing eagle-eyed rugby aficionados spotted was that the former players, and star pundits Jonny Wilkinson, Sam Warbuton and Brian O'Driscoll wore shoes on a tatami on opening day, as reported by The Telegraph.

In an instant, I was already on the tatami and the first grabs went.

Just a 3-tatami sized place you can rent to sleep and lie down on, especially during layovers and delays.

Among those who rushed into the (sumo ring) to assist Tatami were two female medical professionals.

Sliding doors to the tatami room are wide open to let in fresh air, spring sunlight and bird song.

In the modern age, faldstool trays or stackup-type legged trays may still be seen used in zashiki, i.e. tatami -mat rooms, for large banquets or at a ryokan type inn.

The house is based on the traditional Japanese module of the tatami mat, with the largest rooms designed to have flexibility so that they can be separated into three smaller rooms by fusuma sliding doors.

To maximise safety in nage waza (throwing techniques), judoka trained in ukemi (break falls) and practiced on tatami (rice straw mats).

When dining in a traditional tatami room, sitting upright on the floor is common.

With the Shogun dead, Kayama devises a plan by which the Americans, thanks to a covering of tatami mats and a raised Treaty House, can be received without having, technically, to set foot on Japanese soil.