apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We love our kotatsu. My husband says it's one of the best purchases I've made. Our pug loves it too.

I'd say everyone in Japan has one as it comes in handy on those chilly nights. So easy to fall asleep under one too.

I purchased mines in SF Japantown for about $150. I'm thinking of getting a larger one. As the smaller one just is a bit crowded with the 3 of us huddled together.

Despite living in Japan for almost 20 years, I have never been a fan of the kotatsu for several reasons and I don't have one. First of all, it encourages you to just sit in one space for a long time because it's the only warm spot in the room and it's harder to extricate yourself from so you just sit there like a warmed lump. Second, I am not a fan of sitting on the floor.

Personally, I don't think people in Japan ever sleep under them as has been suggested in the previous comment, though I have spoken to people who sit under them for hours on end (sometimes during the entire day). They're not particularly energy efficient for the area of effect either. They just are cheaper than central heating which uses more energy because it heats a far greater area.

It's really not a whole lot different than staying under an electric blanket. The only difference is that all the heat is on your legs and feet with a kotatsu.

I always wanted to try one of these but I'm more interested in the Korean version of heating- ondol. All of my Korean friends say its so nice and you don't have to crack open a window to help the humidity/dry air in the room.

I just don't think I could get over the fire hazard.
But then I live in Canada where it is cold for about 6 months, bone chillingly cold for 3 full months. The pipes would freeze and we'd likely never eat because it would be to cold to get out from under it.

I have an older kotatsu that was purchased from someone that brought it back from japan. Best $40 I ever spent.

I used to go to Japan a lot as a child and in the winter the kotatsu was my favorite part. At my grandparents' house the kotatsu has been banished, cause it does create laziness for my grandpa.

If I didn't have one already, I would probably try to make one. There are cheaper kotatsu heaters online for less than $100, then I would probably get a regular coffee table to attach it to and an extra table top to put on top of the blanket. The square ones are just too little, mine is rectangular and can fit 2 people on the long side and 1 on the end.

I'm also in a small apartment so it does happen to be my regular coffee table off season and my dinner table...