The best part of winters in Japan! The Kotatsu culture!

It's winter season in Japan and it means people have to get their thick jackets to protect themselves from cold. However, snowflakes falling from the sky to the roofs, to the ground can mean too much coldness so, a thick jacket is not enough to ease that bone-chilling feeling. Here's a great thing very unique in Japan -- it's KOTATSU. What is KOTATSU and why is it the best part of winters in Japan? Check this video... Kotatsu is atsui!

Highlights

"Kotatsu is typically a low dining table, with a built-in heater inside, and a quilt or comforter between the table frame and the table top."

"It's basically a table, a heater, and a bed all in one."

"It's been around since the Muromachi Period way back in the 1300s. Back then it wasn't called kotatsu, it was an annka. It was this box type heater, made out of clay or wood. They had holes in each side and you would stick a pot of charcoal inside, and then put a blanket over it and kind of keep warm"

"So until then, it was something to keep warm, something to snuggle under, and now it's basically the center of everything in the winter. It's like where everyone eats, where everyone watches TV, it's where kids do their homework, it's where people eat mandarin oranges!"

"Life happens at the kotatsu in Japan winters."

built-in

Verb. To make an integral part of something

quilt

Noun. A bed cover with stitched designs that is made of two layers of cloth filled with wool, cotton , or soft feathers

charcoal

Noun. A hard black material that is made by burning wood with a small amount of air

snuggle

Verb. To curl up comfortably or cozily

frame

Noun. An open structure that holds something

japanagos, 15-02-13 20:43, 15-02-20 17:41, Marz