In your room
How to use a kotatsu
A low table with a heater built under the top and a blanket trapping the warmth. Switching it on comes down to one dial.
- 1Lift the tabletop off if you need to — the flat board on top just rests there. Under it is a thick blanket (futon) draped over the frame, and a heating unit fixed to the underside of the table.
- 2Find the switch on the table's underside. It's usually a small inline dial or rocker on the heater unit or its cord.
- 3Turn it on and set the dial from low to high. It takes a few minutes to warm the pocket of air under the blanket — it heats the space, not the room.
- 4Sit on the floor (or a cushion) and slide your legs under the blanket. Pull the edge of the blanket over your lap to trap the heat.
Heads up. It's dangerously cosy — people genuinely fall asleep in them. Don't doze off for hours with it on high; you'll wake up dehydrated and overheated.
Good to know
- The warmth stays under the blanket, so the rest of the room can be cold while your legs are toasty. That's the whole idea.
- Turn it off when you leave. It's a heating element under fabric.
Want the why?
This is just how to work it. If you’re curious what’s actually going on: