Winter comes along and things get pretty cold inside Japanese houses.  Japan has just started to ride the insulation and double paned glass trend towards efficiency but in most places over here (including ours) any heat goes from inside straight through the wall and outside. 

One Japanese piece of furniture to combat the cold is the kotatsu.  At first glance the kotatsu just looks like a table that had the legs cut off but don't be fooled.  A quick look underneath and you will see that this is more than just a fancy coffee table, its a fancy coffee table with a leg warmer!  And it's efficient.  The blankets keep all the heat so even set on low, your legs get nice and toasty.  Even though I feel warm, I still think it's funny that I can see my breath when I watch TV. 

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