Buying a kotatsu for a 90-day Tokyo winter stay

A こたつ (kotatsu — low heated table used with a quilt) can be a comfortable addition to a winter stay if you enjoy sitting at a low table. Before buying one for three months, check the space, the apartment's rules and how you will remove it when you leave.

It is furniture you will use while seated. You will still need the apartment's normal heating for other parts of the day, so choose it for how you want to spend time at home rather than as an automatic replacement for room heating.

Try the seating position first

If you can, sit at the height you are considering before ordering. Think about getting up, where your legs go, and whether you would use a floor chair. A setup that is pleasant for a short meal may not suit several hours of laptop work.

Measure the usable floor area with the quilt spread out, not just the tabletop. Leave enough room to open storage and move between the entrance, kitchen and bed. In a furnished apartment, ask before moving or storing the existing table; do not assume there is somewhere else to put it.

A separate desk may still matter. If your workday needs a supportive chair, monitor or space for two people, keep that arrangement intact and decide whether you also want a low table for evenings.

Price the whole setup

Check what the sale includes. The table, heater, quilt and floor covering may be separate items. Add delivery and any collection or disposal charge to the purchase price. Used furniture can be useful, but check the model, condition and included parts rather than assuming a low price buys a complete set.

Here is an illustrative budget, not a current shop quote:

Across a 90-day stay, that is ¥200 per day before electricity. If you only use it on 30 evenings, the same purchase works out at ¥600 per evening. Neither figure decides whether it is worth it, but the second may better describe the purchase you are making.

Treat possible resale proceeds as a bonus in the budget until you have a confirmed buyer. A hoped-for sale on the day before your flight is a difficult way to balance the cost.

Estimate electricity without assuming full power all evening

For a rough calculation, multiply average power in kilowatts by hours used and the unit price on your electricity plan. The wattage on a label may describe maximum power rather than average use. The heater may switch on and off to maintain its temperature, so it may not draw that maximum for the whole evening.

Using made-up assumptions, an average draw of 0.2 kW for five hours uses 1 kWh. At an assumed ¥35 per kWh, that would be ¥35 for the evening, or ¥3,150 over 90 identical evenings. It is an example of the calculation, not a promised running cost. Check the model's published information and your actual billing terms.

If utilities are included in your rent, find out whether an allowance applies. That determines whether additional electricity changes what you pay directly. Avoid comparing a kotatsu running for several hours with a room heater running for a few minutes as if they provided the same service.

Use it according to the instructions

NITE's electric-heating guidance advises keeping combustible materials away from heating parts, checking the cord, and unplugging the appliance when sleeping or leaving. Do not dry clothes under the table or push the quilt against the heater.

A kotatsu is not a bed. NITE also warns about sleeping under one. Follow the model's instructions and check for recalls, particularly when buying used. If a supplied heater or cord appears damaged, stop using it and contact the accommodation team or seller.

Arrange the departure before placing the order

Ask whether the accommodation has an approved way to pass on or remove furniture. Do not leave it for the next guest without permission. If using municipal collection, follow the ward's current booking instructions and fees; the bulky-waste guide explains the process.

There can be more than one item to book for collection. Shinjuku's current fee list, checked in September 2026, lists ¥400 for a kotatsu whose longest side is under 100cm, explicitly excluding the tabletop, which needs a separate booking. A kotatsu quilt has its own ¥400 entry. That is already ¥800 before the tabletop fee; ask the collection center how to list the complete set. Do not buy one collection sticker on the assumption that everything counts as ‘a table.’

A sale also needs a practical handover plan. Check dimensions, access to the building and who will carry the items. Do not assume the buyer will collect on your final day.

If the apartment already has comfortable seating and reliable heating, live with that setup for a few days before buying anything. You may still want the kotatsu, but you will know where it belongs and when you would use it.