Sobakawa Buckwheat Pillow With Free Pillow Protective Cover, 19" x 29"

I've been using a Sobakawa for almost 20 years. It solved every problem I ever had with mushy feather pillows or spongy synthetic pillows. The Sobakawa supports and molds to your head and neck at a natural angle. Your head doesn't sink too much into the pillow so that you end up breathing your exhaled air. There is no pillow enveloping your face or bending your neck. You are supported and there is less pressure on your shoulders if you sleep on your side. The support is just PERFECT. Your head will stay cool as the hulls do not trap heat. Every friend to whom I have recommended the pillow LOVED the support and feel but two complained about the noise. Funny, I have never noticed it. You may hear some shuffling of hulls as you adjust it but while you're sleeping, it is very quiet and peaceful. Another thing I love about this Sobakawa in particular is that the size is PERFECT. Most traditional pillows feel like a mini mattress under your head, but this pillow's size is just right. Not too big, not to small. If you are someone who has always had sleep problems, especially problems falling asleep, then TRY THIS PILLOW. It worked wonders for me. I'm a normal sleeper now. The only problem is when I go away for the weekend and forget to bring my Sobakawa!

Very nice and a great price ($25). This is filled with Real Buckwheat, not polystyrene beads. The cover is 100% cotton. No odors, nice and clean. Arrived clean and sealed in plastic. My new favorite pillow. Made in the USA on the label! Highly recommended. I have largish hands so take that into consideration when viewing photos and determining scale. It's a little smaller than a standard sized pillow but that has not prevented me from sleeping soundly. It perfectly cradles my head and neck. Haven't slept this well in a long time. Been suffering insomnia for a few years so I switched to all natural bedding. Wool comforter, Cotton sheets, natural latex mattress along with this buckwheat pillow and it's made a huge difference. I never get hot or sweat while sleeping like I used to, I wake up dry, no back pain anymore, and I feel rested. Best money I've spent in the last year!

In search for a "Secret Santa" unisex gift for Christmas with a limit of $20, I wanted to be creative and stray away from the typical candles, throws (blankets), and the like. That's how I stumbled upon this item (a Sobakawa buckwheat pillow). I've actually been in search for a good pillow for myself for some time now because, on top of being a very light sleeper, I am not an "active" sleeper (sometimes, I rarely change positions when sleeping and sometimes I toss and turn, but all in all, I do not move around very often during the night), so I often wake up with a sore neck or not very well rested. I would also like to note that I have a history of chronic migraines, and pillow support is critical to comfort during the times I experience a migraine. There have also been times when I've woken up with migraines because of an unrestful sleep. Sometimes I need a lot of neck support, but I don't like it when my pillows are too soft. Like "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", I was in search for something not too soft, not too hard... but something that was "just right". Typical memory foam type pillows rarely work very well for me because, although they can conform to your shape, I often find that it is uncomfortable when I move around and the pillow needs to re-conform to my new position. Softer and fluffier pillows are usually a for sure "no-go" for me because it is almost a guarantee that I will wake up with achy neck and shoulders. The Good News: Upon receiving this pillow, I tried it that very night. I woke up the next morning with no complaints in terms of the firmness. It has been about 3 weeks now, and I use this pillow every night. I will likely not be going back to any of my other pillows, though I do have many other types of pillows on the bed (at least 4 kinds). I like that this pillow is stiff enough to support my neck, but also capable of conforming quickly whenever I move. I used to sleep with a very stiff pillow because it supported my neck and head nicely and was the only one that wouldn't make me wake up with an achy body, however, it is so stiff that during the nights when I rarely move, I would wake up with a sore neck. This pillow seems to be able to provide that "just right" type of support that I have been lacking in other pillows that I have tried. My Gripes: Since one was meant for a gift, I was a little disappointed that when I received the package, it did not have the Sobakawa box pictured for the item and I feel like it made it look a bit cheap when wrapping it as a present - but that has little to do with the actual pillow itself so, moving on... The four stars, instead of five, is that the pillow is rather small. It is the smallest of all the other pillows I have, for sure, but, it is big enough to still have just enough pillow left when I move from my left side to my right side (I am a side sleeper) but I am on the very edges of the pillow on either side. I think it would make an excellent travel pillow, but otherwise, its size makes finding a pillow case to protect this pillow rather difficult. I actually tried using one of the larger pillowcases I have and changing the direction of the way is supposed to be inserted so that it perfectly covered the length of each side of the pillow and just tucking in the excess fabric in the bottom side of the opening, however, I found that sleeping with the pillow like that changed the way the pillow supported me because it was TOO perfect making the pillow too snug inside the pillowcase and the conform-ability it used to have was non-existent. So, I removed the pillowcase but I'm uncomfortable with the vulnerability it has to oils (from hair or skin) and other dirt. And frankly, I simply prefer a larger size for my pillows. In response to the smell other people have complained about in their comments, I did notice a slight smell when I opened the package for the first time, but it was not so strong that I was unable to sleep, and after several days I don't smell anything at all. Another thing to note: I also purchased a pillow for my sister and she likes the pillow, but does not sleep with it. She doesn't notice an unpleasant smell from her pillow, however, she sleeps with her baby in between her and her husband and she has noticed that when she uses the pillow and she moves around too much, the baby wakes up because it makes a rustling noise. All in all, if I were in the market to purchase an additional pillow, I would likely purchase another buckwheat pillow from Sobakawa. I would recommend this pillow.

I have to start out by saying that It's taken me 5 years to finally be convinced that I needed one of these, and I completely regret having it take so long. My husband has been using one since he was a teenager and I always referred to it as his bag of rocks, because it just didn't sound or feel comfortable when I held it. Well, I had a car accident a couple of years ago and have been plagued by neck pain. I've tried a contour pillow and it was just way too stiff, and made the other side of my neck hurt. I tried a 100% down pillow and it was fine for sleeping on my stomach, but since my last pregnancy i've become a side sleeper and it was absolutely worthless. I'm 8 weeks pregnant now and for the past month I've been up AT LEAST 5 times every night, between bathroom breaks and just being plain uncomfortable. I always wake with neck pain. About 2 weeks ago, I started stealing my husband's buckwheat pillow every morning when he gets up and those next two hours are the best (and most uninterrupted) hours of sleep I have been getting all night. Luckily, he noticed this and ordered one of these babies for my Christmas gift. The verdict? Not only was it the best night of sleep I have had in the past month, It's the first time in a long time that I haven't woken up because I was uncomfortable, or to adjust anything. Like i said, I'm pregnant, so I still have bathroom breaks, but I woke up feeling SO well rested each time. I'm a believer. This thing is never leaving my side, I plan on taking it on every trip. This pillow keeps you very cool (nice for those of us with hot flashes), it doesn't push against your head, but conforms to it, and keeps it's shape, gently cradling your head all night. The size is smaller than a standard pillow, but If you have a normal human sized head, it shouldn't be an issue. you can lay on your back and move your head from left to right and be fully covered, so it's really not an issue. My husband's is even smaller than this one. The pillow case I guess could be an issue, but I don't move the pillow while i sleep , and just tucked the extra length of the case under it. I'll probably sew one later, but it's not a big deal to me. If you have neck issues, I highly recommend this. I'm still in awe about how great I feel. **UPDATE** I'm now 8.5 months pregnant and still have not had one night of neck pain, except for 3 nights that I slept in another bed, with another pillow. I was amazed that it returned so quickly. I also don't have the body and hip pain that I did with my first pregnancy. I'm actually heavier than I was the first time, and I don't want to say it's all because of the pillow, but that's all that is different this time around. Maybe it's because I'm more aligned? Who knows... But I am still so glad that my husband bought this for me. Still loving it!

I had one of this in my late teens and did not like it. Over the last 10 years I've tried many different pillows and decided to revisit it, since my older brother has sworn by it for about 15 years now, and I love it. The pillow comes in a plastic bag, not the box pictured, but it doesn't affect the quality. It's filled to the right amount, and even if I wanted a little less filling, there's no reason I couldn't open up a corner and dump some of the hulls out. I love that my head stays cool, and it maintains its shape. I saw some negative reviews regarding the size, but I love the smaller size, as my older full-size pillows always ended up under my shoulder providing little neck support. This pillow is great in that it supports your head AND your neck and does not lose its shape. When buying this pillow just remember, it's wheat hulls, they're kind of noisy, kind of cruncy and hard, but very unique and will not be like any pillow you've ever tried. I also like that it's natural. Thanks buckwheat!!

I had always wanted this pillow, my boyfriend has chronic neck issues and thought this would be a good thing for him to try. The pillows are much smaller then advertised (20x18) but are actually much smaller (18x15). i will have to combine the 2 so that i will have a normal sized pillow. The pillow is comfortable for me, my boyfriend refuses to use it saying "its a kid pillow and i will roll righ off of it". incredibly disappointed with the size of the pillow, cant stress enough how misleading the description of the pillows are. As far as shipping, i chose the freee ship option. It took every last day they estimated for my delivery because they shipped the pillows all over the country before they got to me. At one point the pillows were 5 miles from my home, then shipped 300 miles away, then back, just to make sure I didnt get them 1 day early with the free ship method. For the record I did order the "queen size" pillow..I had to cut a standard pillow case in half to fit this pillow.

If you have been caught in the recent buckwheat pillow hype ( The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman ) but didn't have the opportunity to try one out yourself - this is the perfect buckwheat starter pillow. Buckwheat pillows tend to be harder than the average synthetic or feather pillows, so do not buy one if you expect a soft pillow. They will mold and can be shaped to fit your preferences, but do not have any elasticity and do not generally change shape while you sleep. They do seem to help many people who wake up with neck and shoulder pains from fluffier pillows. It is also a more breathable, cooler material that is also environment friendly. This particular pillow is small, does not come with a pillow case and does not allow you to easily add or remove buckwheat hulls to make it fuller or lighter. But for the price it is excellent. If you do find that buckwheat pillows are for you and want a bigger one that comes with a case and a zipper to add/remove hulls, get this one next: Bucky Buckwheat Bed Pillow, White, One Size . You can always relegate the smaller pillow to a back rest on a chair, or pass it on to another family member.

Tiny. Many will find it too small for everyday. Shorter and narrower than standard, folding a standard case inward won't make it fit snugly. You'll have to order one made for it or sew your own. Despite its diminutive size, it's a great pillow. It sleeps cool, remarkably so. I've used a heating pad on high, placed directly on top of it to soothe sore neck muscles. Left undisturbed, it returns to room temperature in minutes. With a gentle shake, it's cool almost instantly. Speaking of sore muscles, this pillow works better to align my spine and properly support my neck than any other pillow I've tried and I've tried at least a couple dozen. I use on top of another pillow for optimal side sleeping support. I fall asleep easier and wake up with less pain. It's easily customizable. For me, that means pressing with a closed fist to create a dip in the center that my head fits neatly into, creating a cradling effect. It stays in shape nicely with little or no adjusting through the night. The stitching is fine and I noticed no odors or quality issues. This is my unsolicited opinion. I paid full price for this pillow and I'd buy it again, even if I had to pay more. My only complaint is its dimensions. If it would fit into a standard case, even one adjusted for length, I'd give it 5 stars.