KOTATSU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[yuiyoshida]

YES, that's a Heater!!


Easy Peesy


It so much part of Japanese culture!


Eveyone loves it..


They are Historic!


Stylish



I WANT ONE!! ...

[arcane1]

1. I could really use one of those.

[LumosMaxima]

2. OMGs, I want one, too!

Last edited Sun Dec 22, 2013, 08:51 PM - Edit history (1)

I'm always cold (even with central heat!).

Adding: I love those low chairs, too.

[petronius]

3. That is genius! I so want one... (nt)

[HoneychildMooseMoss]

4. I have a kotatsu

but I rarely use it because it uses a lot of electricity.

[Leith]

5. When I Lived in Tokyo

Long long ago, I loved my kotatsu. I even slept under it a couple times.

Strangest use for a kotatsu: my camera broke and there was half a roll of film still in it. I bought a new camera. After dark, I shut off all the lights and turned on the kotatsu (red heat lamp don'tcha know?) and moved the film to the new camera. It developed perfectly!

[Godot51]

6. Kotatsu life...

Occasionally here (in Japan) I've seen ads in the newspaper or on television about "Kotatsu Life!". The second photo of the man working in his is one good image.

It can happen. Some people, young and old, sit in their kotatsu surrounded by the necessities of life, tea pot, hot water pot, various snacks, books, magazines, newspapers, TV (of course) for much of the winter.

Recently taller kotatsu have been introduced with rolling chairs and longer covers (I've had a knee replacement and that makes sitting under the kotatsu on the tatami a bit difficult).

[yuiyoshida]

15. Do you have a photo of the larger

Kotatsu.. cool that you live in Japan. Do you know about our Asian group? (http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1250) stop by and check it out!

[Live and Learn]

7. Isn't it dangerous to have the heater so close to bedding?

Maybe I am just paranoid but I always try to keep everything away from heaters.

[yuiyoshida]

13. I have never really heard of any Kotatu Fires

Or catching the bedding on fire. Most of the time the heat is on low..and the blanket is heavy enough to retain the heat under it. The best part that your legs are the largest part of your body so you are kept warm ..your feet up to your waste is kept warm.

Its a great idea and surprised now one has tried to recreate these for places that are traditionally cold in the US. I would love to have one...

[hatrack]

8. Kotatsu wa saikou daaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!

I loved my vented kerosene heater, too, but it wasn't . . . . huggable.

[yuiyoshida]

14. honto!!!

subarashiiii neeeeeeeeeee!!!

[silverweb]

9. Love the concept!

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]Because of bad knees, though, I can't get that low to the floor and hope to be able to get back up again without great difficulty.

One time, I attempted to make a modified version that included my desk and chair, with an oil radiator under the blanket, but it was clumsy and awkward because it was improvised. I'll figure it out yet.

[LumosMaxima]

11. I found this earlier:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-an-American-style-kotatsu/

These instructions would have to be modified to make it taller, but it might be worth looking over.

[silverweb]

12. Thanks!

Last edited Sun Dec 22, 2013, 10:59 PM - Edit history (1)

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]A kotatsu makes so much more sense than heating a whole room or apartment, and is definitely worth the effort of constructing.

I'm also thinking that a heated floor mat or dog bed warmer might work very well as a heat source; even just an ordinary heating pad might do. Since heat rises, I'd think any one of these placed on the floor would warm the space under the table pretty efficiently.

[colorado_ufo]

10. My late cousin lived in Spain for a while

and she wrote me about the under table heaters, which she loved. She also spoke of the table cloth covering her legs. Not a unique concept!