In Japan, the reception room was traditionally used as a bedroom at night. It was covered with 90x180 cm Tatami mats. Today we know that these mats, which were made from several layers of rice straw, already existed in the 12th century. Fine, brilliant bulrush mats were placed on top of the Tatami mats. The number of mats required for each room determined the size of the rooms when building a house.

In 400 AD, a bed in China looked like a small room. With its lacquered wood at the bottom, then wickerwork and a big folding screen on top, it looked similar to a cage. Next to the bed as such was space for clothes and a shelf.