Another possibility is to hollow out part of the center of a table and build a small-scale hearth there. Good for use as a kind of barbecue, where food can be cooked and eaten on the spot, or sake warmed, this method is often used in Japanese country-style restaurants. Dishes such as sukiyaki or nabemono, a kind of fondue, are cooked on a gas ring or a hot plate either placed on the table top or else fitted into the table itself. In the rainy climate of Japan, outdoor barbecues are not a very practical idea, so they are brought indoors instead.
Today, one of the most popular household items in Japan is the kotatsu, a low table with an infrared lamp, equipped with a thermostat and a protective mesh, attached to the underside of the table. A cover is usually placed over the table, and another table-like surface is put on top of that. This keeps the heat in under the table, and improves its heating efficiency. Although very simple to use, the kotatsu can, however, be uncomfortable as there is little room for one's legs underneath.
As a result, many people have taken to sinking one part of the floor below the level of the rest and sitting with their feet resting in the resulting hollow, called a horigotatsu. A permanent fixture is created but the table may be removed, and the hole covered, when they are not needed, and the room may be used for other purposes. In a room with tatami, a half-size tatami (3 feet by 3 feet) or a wooden board can be used as a cover, and also provide a kind of display area (see partitioning device). When floor heating is used, it is a good idea to heat both the floor of the sunken area and the floor where people sit. For this, one can use either hot water piping laid under the floor, or an electric mat.
KOTATSU
The table top is covered with wood on one side and felt on the other, ideal for playing mahjong or cards. In the summertime, the infrared lamp can be removed.
A fully assembled kotatsu.
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