Winterizing in Japan: Making a cozy apartment
As much as I love Japan, I don’t think the Prime Minister’s office got my memo about indoor heating. There is no excuse for what I call “inside cold.” If I am lucky, a committee has the suggestion and is working through the proper channels to have it acted upon within a decade’s time. I can’t exactly file a complaint with the mountains about it being too cold, so I have to trust the government in this instance.
Until Japan decides there is no excuse for inside cold, us mild-temperature-lovers are on our own. I’ve got a few tips to make winter time a little more bearable for JETs who love to stay warm.
1: Layers on you!
Many air-con units have heater settings, mine included. I try not to run the air-con heaters too much because they can suck up a lot of money. My electric bill for December 2021 was a memorable shock of around 25,000 yen, and even though I later resolved to keep that as low as possible, it was still around 15,000 yen in January.
In order to keep those bills down, layer up. This doesn’t have to be extravagant. Putting on a long-sleeved shirt, a light jacket, some pants, and a pair of good socks goes a long way to keeping life comfortable. There are also clothes that are specifically made to keep a person warm by using different fabrics, weaves, and even fans and heaters.
2: Layers on your bed or futon!
For those who are more budget-focused like me, you can simply add layers to your bed. I sleep with two semi-double-sized (SD is the common abbreviation on bedding) blankets and a comforter on top for extra warmth. Another thing I have is a shiki-paddo. It’s a little pad that slips on top of a bed or futon mattress to create some extra insulation.
Specially-made insulated bed coverings, heated blankets and mattress pads can be found at home goods and furniture stores. For example, Nitori sells these insulating bedding pieces under their “Warm” line. You can also check other shops and even second-hand shops for deals. Of course, there’s always Amazon, too. Another ALT I know bought an electric blanket there, and she swears it’s a sound investment.
Sometimes, a second blanket is all that is needed for the cool October and early November nights. December and January require a comforter.
3: Get a kotatsu.
For the uninitiated, a kotatsu is a style of heated table with blankets. Many people in Japan can be seen working, dining, playing, and even napping around these little slices of salvaged Eden on Earth (I do not advise napping under your kotatsu because you could burn yourself on the heating element). Kotatsu are a comfortable and cozy means of beating the cold. Paired with a floor chair or cushion, they make a fine addition to your Japanese home. If you already have one, fantastic! Be sure to check the wires and heating elements for damage. If anything seems off or out of place, don’t use it; it might be best to just purchase a new kotatsu.
A kotatsu; image by PikiSuperStar on Freepik
If you don’t have a kotatsu or possess a damaged one, fear not. They can be bought and come in different sizes and styles depending on your needs and decorative taste. They’re readily available at Nitori, Daiki, Nafuko and other furniture stores for around 15,000 to 40,000 yen as individual items and sets. Checking local shops and thrift stores is always a good option for the budget-conscious; just be sure to check for any signs of damage before buying from a second hand store. Second shops are legally required to run a safety check and confirm the item they’re selling is in good, working order. Even so, things can slip through cracks. When in doubt, don’t buy. And always plug a kotatsu into a wall outlet for safety reasons because extension cords may not be able to handle the wattage required to power a kotatsu’s heating element.
4: Buy a rug.
Rugs are particularly great for hardwood or tile floors which are common in newer Japanese apartments. My bedroom has hardwood flooring and it gets stupidly cold in winter time, which makes the prospect of getting out of bed less than pleasurable. A trip to a local store and the purchase of a cheap rug fixed that real quick; my feet now instead start the morning on fluffy llamas rather than cold, hard laminate/hardwood/etc. The rug feels a little cool in the morning, but nowhere near as cold as a bare floor is. Socks and slippers are another option you can use if you don’t feel like buying a rug.
You can even find electric rugs which plug into the wall and heat up. As with anything electric that heats up, for maximum safety, plug it into a wall outlet directly and turn it off when you aren’t in the room and actively using it.
5: Use a heater.
Air-cons typically have a heater setting. Set a temperature, turn it on, and get that room warm. They can be expensive to run for long periods of time, so run them to get warm, let them run for a couple of hours and then turn them off until you need them on again. Leave them off if you’re not home or in a room. And use the timer function; it’s great for setting and forgetting.
Kanji on a remote translated to English
Electric space heaters are little plug-and-go machines that are great for staying warm without using the air-con heaters exclusively. Many have safety features such as automatic turn-off in case they get tipped over. Ceramic heaters (セラミックヒーター) heat the air in the whole room and are cheaper to run than air-cons. They work by heating up an element to a high temperature and that heat is blown from the unit by a fan. Infrared heaters (赤外線ヒーター) don’t heat the air but blast heat in one direction, which are better for times when you’re stationary for extended periods, like working at a desk or sitting on the couch. Think of infrared heaters as a mad scientist’s comfort ray. Both have their purposes, but if you have to have just one, I recommend a ceramic heater because they can make and keep a room warmer than an infrared heater can. Both kinds of heaters can be found where home goods and appliances are sold.
Example of a simple infrared heater plugged into a wall and an extension cord.
There are two things to be cautious about with electric heaters. First is their exposed elements, which can burn a person’s legs and injure small children. If you have an electric heater and have small children, purchase a safety gate to keep the heater beyond the children’s reach and supervise them closely when they’re around a heater. Secondly, never use an extension cord with an electric heater. Electric heaters use lots of electricity — more electricity than many ordinary extension cords can safely handle. The insulation in said cords can be damaged over time and become a fire hazard. Just plug the heater into a wall socket and turn it on low power; that’s your safest and most frugal option. I pretty much only use the high power settings for no more than 20 minutes at a time to get warmer faster, then switch to lower power to stay comfy.
6: Bubble wrap your windows
Something else I picked up on from another ALT fighting the cold was to insulate your windows using bubble wrap. I found rolls specifically designed for this purpose at Daiso for around 200 or 300 yen that adhere to windows after misting the window with water and placing the correct side to the window. Cut it down to size and follow the instructions. If for some reason you can’t get the bubble wrap to self-adhere or if you buy plain bubble wrap, use masking tape instead.
Closing thoughts
Hopefully this information will help a few people deal with Japan’s cold winters. Van Halen will tell you to stay frosty; I say to stay toasty.
