TOKYO -- Tatami, a traditional Japanese flooring material made from woven igusa rush grass, is gaining popularity abroad, as people who discover its charm while visiting Japan or at Japanese restaurants overseas are introducing it into their lives. Tatami shops are exporting products in various shapes that can fit irregular floor layouts.
"Most importantly they're beautiful," says Jason Koh, an executive at a New York financial services company. He placed tatami in part of the hallway of his home in Manhattan two years ago.
