Kotatsu!

Temperature – 13c

Summer transitioned to winter in the blink of an eye. One moment, temperatures were in the mid-20s, and the next, they plummeted to the low teens and even single digits at night. This year's weather has been unusual, with typhoons still lingering and a Japanese summer that was both hotter and longer than usual. It feels like autumn was overlooked entirely, as the seasons shifted from summer to winter.

There have been frost advisories, so I dug out my wool scarf. I visited Book Off and bought myself some more wool jumpers to snuggle into…

The vending machines are now selling hot drinks, and seasonal flavors are beginning to change. Winter has arrived in Kyushu. Many anime fans may also know that this marks the season when a specific piece of furniture appears in anime: the Kotatsu!

So, what is a Kotatsu? Imagine a low table covered with a thick, warm blanket, allowing you to tuck your legs underneath it. To enhance this cozy image, picture the warmth enveloping your legs under the table. The underside of the Kotatsu has a heating system, making it incredibly difficult to leave its comforting warmth.

In anime, the joke often revolves around characters who should be doing other things but are unable to leave the warmth of the Kotatsu. Alternatively, their parents might complain about them sleeping under the Kotatsu.

The best thing about winter in Saga is that I have inherited a kotatsu! I finally turned it on and can check another item off my bucket list. The warmth it produces is impressive; I haven't needed to turn it up beyond the low setting, and that alone has kept my toes toasty. I am a bit worried about leaving it on and causing a fire, but I know I will rely on this cozy heater to get me through the colder months.