My guess is it's because we're used to sitting at desks and tables using chairs, whereas in Japan people don't mind sitting on the floor. So a traditional kotatsu would be unappealing to most westerners because you can't use a chair. You could raise them up to make room for chairs, but then you'd need to have a bigger blanket, which would make it more expensive to produce and reduce its adoption. Plus, when you're sitting at it, you'd raise the blanket up, making a big opening between the floor and your seat that lets all the heat out.

- Lack of central heating.
- No insulation in traditional buildings.
- Single-pane windows outside of the north.
- Difference in room layout and room connections.

>>31271
So in other words, they're only as good as the house is bad? People in the west still buy space heaters though.

>>31270
That's a good point. People here would think you're retarded if they walked in on you sitting on the floor.

Usually you'd pack away the other table and then bring out the kotatsu.
In the West tables weren't designed to be packed away.

>>31272
>they're only as good as the house is bad?
Sorry, I worded my post badly. I meant that it's a cultural thing more than an architectural one. The things I listed is why kotatsu are popular in Japan, which comes down to lack of other forms of either heating or keeping the house insulated.

Maybe its not too late for the kotatsu to catch hold in the west, but I doubt it. Imagine some big western slob steps in dogshit on the way home and walks into his house without taking his shoes off then sits at kotatsu.

buildings in the north are properly insulated or have a fireplace