It seems like there is a kotatsu table in every household featured in the anime shows I watch. A kotatsu is a heated Japanese table. The special kotatsu heater sits on the underside of the table. They are generally fairly low, with a futon placed on top to keep the heat in. The first time I saw it, I thought, "Man, I really need one of those!"
Japanese homes don't have central heating, so having one of these in your home is a must once winter hits. If the Internet is an indicator, it's catching on here in North America too. Great for those of us without a fireplace or those who are looking for ways to keep heating bills down.
Last winter, I decided to make a kotatsu table. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be.
I found this set of instructions on How to Build and American-style Kotatsu.Then, it was off to Ebay to order my kotatsu heater from 4kokuq. It has to be a kotatsu heater. An ordinary space heater would be a fire hazard. Kotatsu heaters have low voltage, so they can handle being in an enclosed space.
The cost for the kotatsu heating unit, including shipping and the exchange rate, was just under $100 CAD. It came within two weeks, as promised.
Next, I went to IKEA to pick up a LACK table (under $20) and a comforter from Wal-Mart for approximately $25. I picked up four fluffy accent pillows to use as seating cushions. I think they were between $7 - 12 each. Thankfully, Canada uses the same voltage as Japan, so I did not need to purchase an adapter.
It didn't take long to assemble the LACK table. The next step was to install the heater. At the time, I was only in Level 1 of Japanese language classes, so I couldn't read any of the kanji in the instructions. However, I did learn that it asked me to "Insert kotatsu heater in wooden frame underneath table. Insert screws into holes of said frame and screw into the heater."
Perhaps you see my challenge. I don't have a bona fide kotatsu table, so there is no frame. This required a quick trip to Home Depot. The solution? Corner Braces.
I marked in pencil where I should position the heating unit and screwed in the braces at each corner. Then it was time to screw the heating unit in.
Since the LACK table lacks space inside the table leg to thread the power cord through, another adjustment had to be made to keep the cord in place. This time, a picture hook came to my rescue.
Last two steps were pretty easy - put the comforter on top and then what was originally the shelving unit for the LACK table on top of the comforter.
Click here for my Kotatsu Making Photo Album.
This clip shows some other uses for this versatile Japanese table:
December 12, 2013 update: If you don't want to make your own, one of my fave otaku stores, J-List makes them. A steal of a deal for $100 USD. Click for J-List Kotatsu!