I hate the kotatsu meme. That POS is only useful because Japanese homes have the worst heating possible.
I hope you are not from the USA, because building wood houses in hurricane/tornado risk areas isn't exactly the brightest idea either. Even "third world" countries get that right.
Can't we just accept the kotatsu theme as a funny occurrence, just like Russian never ending winter or Canadians playing hockey? We all know they aren't true at all.
FYI, Gangut hasn't subjected to the Kotatsu...yet because the Kotatsu was confiscicated before she came to the base.
So what's the pool on Gangut either
A) disregarding the kotatsu because mere Japanese winters are nothing to her Russian blood, or B) succumbing to its charms and getting chastised by Comrade Tiny One for her bourgeois indulgence?
A) disregarding the kotatsu because mere Japanese winters are nothing to her Russian blood, or B) succumbing to its charms and getting chastised by Comrade Tiny One for her bourgeois indulgence?
I'm betting on B.
Most likely B; there is a reason why Russians have spent last couple hundred years by looking for warm water ports to acquire.
I hope you are not from the USA, because building wood houses in hurricane/tornado risk areas isn't exactly the brightest idea either. Even "third world" countries get that right.
Can't we just accept the kotatsu theme as a funny occurrence, just like Russian never ending winter or Canadians playing hockey? We all know they aren't true at all.
And the fact that Japanese houses being usually wood and paper is due to how earthquake-prone the place can be. Better rely on kotatsu than to build a house of bricks with central heating only to have the whole thing fall over your head and crush you when an earthquake comes around.
Well, these days modern buildings can be really earthquake-proof and ISN'T made of wood and paper.
And the fact that Japanese houses being usually wood and paper is due to how earthquake-prone the place can be. Better rely on kotatsu than to build a house of bricks with central heating only to have the whole thing fall over your head and crush you when an earthquake comes around.
Well, these days modern buildings can be really earthquake-proof and ISN'T made of wood and paper.
California standards tend to be reliable against most earthquakes (the last huge Chilean earthquake shook nearly all the large building down, except the new ones built to California standards), and we have a lot of central heated houses. Plus a lot of codes for preventing heat loss to improve energy efficiency. Why have a heater or air conditioner that effects the outside and raises your electrical or gas bill by three times the amount, when you can insulate the house and get better windows and use a third the power to just heat or cool your house in its entirety?
Plus with all this insulation, one can get away with using smaller heating units, like newer model heat pumps.
On the plus side for Japanese housing, after the big earthquake, and a lot of buildings withstanding it, construction firms are now constructing buildings that are designed to *gasp* last more than a decade!
There was apparently a real feel that the standards might get updated again in the past (as occurred after each major earthquake), meaning that the building would either need refitting (expensive) or replacing (apparently less expensive, with the more... cost-saving designs Japan favored), but after the latest one, no (major) changes were deemed necessary - so now both architects/civil engineers and construction firms are much more willing to undertake more permanent structures. And yes, that includes putting in more insulation and central heating systems.
Well, I didn't say Japan houses were perfect (I'm not a weeaboo). But if anyone is going to criticize someone else way of doing things, they should consider first looking themselves at the mirror.
On the plus side for Japanese housing, after the big earthquake, and a lot of buildings withstanding it, construction firms are now constructing buildings that are designed to *gasp* last more than a decade!
There was apparently a real feel that the standards might get updated again in the past (as occurred after each major earthquake), meaning that the building would either need refitting (expensive) or replacing (apparently less expensive, with the more... cost-saving designs Japan favored), but after the latest one, no (major) changes were deemed necessary - so now both architects/civil engineers and construction firms are much more willing to undertake more permanent structures. And yes, that includes putting in more insulation and central heating systems.
With modern science, we can now have earthquake-proof buildings without sacrificing heat retention!
On the plus side for Japanese housing, after the big earthquake, and a lot of buildings withstanding it, construction firms are now constructing buildings that are designed to *gasp* last more than a decade!
There was apparently a real feel that the standards might get updated again in the past (as occurred after each major earthquake), meaning that the building would either need refitting (expensive) or replacing (apparently less expensive, with the more... cost-saving designs Japan favored), but after the latest one, no (major) changes were deemed necessary - so now both architects/civil engineers and construction firms are much more willing to undertake more permanent structures. And yes, that includes putting in more insulation and central heating systems.
There's an interesting article on the subject here. It's from 4 years ago, so it doesn't mention the shift in trend, but it explains a lot about the japanese housing situation.
Well, I didn't say Japan houses were perfect (I'm not a weeaboo). But if anyone is going to criticize someone else way of doing things, they should consider first looking themselves at the mirror.
I have, and US housing generally isn't a drafty mess built on the cheap and just expected to bulldozed over in 30 years in a colossal waste of resources.
I hope you are not from the USA, because building wood houses in hurricane/tornado risk areas isn't exactly the brightest idea either. Even "third world" countries get that right.
Thank you for trying to enlighten someone who was born in and lived in Japan, and know how shitty things are.
rom_collector said:
Can't we just accept the kotatsu theme as a funny occurrence, just like Russian never ending winter or Canadians playing hockey? We all know they aren't true at all.
Nah, I don't really tolerate the narcissistic themes like everyone loving sushi (looking at you Isekai Izakaya Nobu), four seasons, or kotatsu.
rom_collector said:
Well, I didn't say Japan houses were perfect (I'm not a weeaboo). But if anyone is going to criticize someone else way of doing things, they should consider first looking themselves at the mirror.
A westaboo then. So you hate items and traditions that identify nor differentiate your culture from everyone else's? Quite strange I think. Maybe the overuse of them will make you think so, but in my case I would be proud everyone associates something with the country I live on. Or at least I wouldn't be pissed about them. I would hate them if they were negative things though, but I have yet to see anything negative about sushi.
Updated
Oh?
Thank you.Don't I know it!The cold's been setting in so quickly as of late, hasn't it?Or rather, bring it out now!Warm yourself up.Now that it's December, it's positively frigid!And the ground is freezing underfoot...It sure is!And is not cold what you like to call "the root of all illness"?Right, those heating pads, sure.Ooyodo, I've brewed up some coffee. How about you take a breather?You're a lifesaver.We'll be in the depths of winter before long!So is it not well time that bringing out that would be good?We sure will!
This year was through in the blink of an eye again!Ohhhhhhhh...Hmm...When it gets cold, your heart grows lonesome too, yes?Well...Square, warm - you know, that!THE KOTATSU!!WHEN ARE YOU BREAKING OUT THE KOTATSU!?I was busy, so it slipped my mind.So Graf-san was that kind of character, then!?