TOKYO >> Contemporary lifestyles in Japan are reflected in new types of kotatsu, traditional tables with internal heating that are often draped with a futon (quilt) to retain warmth.

Popular choices now include kotatsu for just one person — reflecting an increase of remote workers — and some that accommodate people who prefer to sit in chairs rather than the floor.

“It’s suddenly become very cold, so more and more people are snapping up kotatsu,” said a 24-year-old sales assistant in charge of home electric appliances at Cainz, a home center, at its Makuhari branch in Narashino, Chiba prefecture.

A kotatsu made for one person from Yuasa Primus Co. is among those proving popular. The tabletop measures about about 21-1/2 inches square and22-1/2-inches high — a good height for someone seated in a chair. Sections of the legs can be removed to lower the height to about 15 inches, for those who prefer to sit on the floor. Cainz also sells other heated tables suitable for two people.

With remote workers on the rise, most shoppers are looking for a work-friendly kotatsu, which convert into desks with the removal of the futon.

“It’s convenient because it can be adjusted to your liking depending on the situation,” the salesperson said.

One university student living alone visited the store recently for a kotatsu. “I don’t want a heater that uses real fire or an air conditioner with heater that could increase my electricity bill and make the air in the room too dry,” the student said.

Uniquely designed kotatsu are also on the market.

In October, the online store Dinos promoted a roughly 16-inch, counter-like kotatsu that sports two power outlets. Dinos encourages customers to use it as a table for remote work and home study. This design does not require a quilt; rather, the heater is attached to the underside of the table. The table itself has a certain visual appeal, having been crafted from the wooden barrels of a whisky distillery.

Home appliance store Lithon, meanwhile, sells a rounded, tubelike kotatsu, which warms users from the knees down when they’re seated in a chair. The sides are lined with heaters covered by fabric and gently envelop the legs with warm air.

“Even if you use it for a month, the electricity only costs about 1,000 yen (about $6.75), so it’s good (economically), too,” said a Lithon employee.

Nitori Co., a major furniture manufacturer and retailer, sells kotatsu with a single leg. By pressing a pedal at the base, users can adjust the tabletop height from 23 to 28-1/2 inches. A heater is attached on the underside of the table, and the kotatsu can be used while sitting on a chair or sofa.

According to Makiko Tanaka, who writes about home appliances, a kotatsu uses about one-third the electricity of an air conditioner. Some kotatsu come with a sensor that turns off the power when the kotatsu is vacated, helping to manage electricity bills.

“Since the novel coronavirus pandemic, more and more people have been spending longer periods of time at home,” Tanaka said. “This has led to the rediscovery of kotatsu as cost-efficient and comfortable heating devices, and people have begun seeking out models with new designs that reflect the times.”