Falling Fuel Prices and Combating Winter in Japan

Falling Fuel Prices and Combating Winter in Japan

The downturn in the global fuel prices has certainly benefited the entire humanity. As I have observed here in Japan, every week, the price of kerosene, which I always use on my heater, is dropping gradually. My first purchase during the last week of October was around 100 yen per liter. Then during the middle of November, it suddenly dropped to 93 yen per liter. Then last week, the price was at 71 yen per liter. The latest news this morning was that it might drop to as low as 50 yen per liter during winter.

Heaters Sold in Japan

1. Gasoline Heater – The most cost effective because gasoline is more combustible than kerosene. But the downside is that it’s a little risky. A standard heater may have a capacity of more or less 10 liters.

2. Kerosene Liter – Uses kerosene. Cost-effective since kerosene is cheap. Downside is the smell of kerosene during and after turning off of the equipment.

3. Halogen – Uses halogen lamp. Steady one-directional heater is effective for heating one area of the room only. Consumes more electricity.

4. Carbon Heater – Uses no light to heat but very effective heating equipment. Consumes more electricity too.

5. Oven-type Heater – I have used this in the past and it is notorious in jacking up your electric bills. Most oven-type heaters have water provisions to humidify the room.

6. Electric Blanket

7. Stove – A kerosene-based electric heater. Used commonly in huge and wide areas such as classrooms, halls and convention areas and even wide-spaced apartments. The stove can also act as a humidifier since you can heat water on top of it. Or you can even put a kettle to warm tea during the winter season.

8. Kotatsu Table Heater – a coiled oven-type heater installed in kotatsu (Japanese-style table for tatami rooms), used especially during winter in Japan.

9. Electric Carpet

10. Electric neck and foot warmer.

11. Bi-functional air-condition/heater – the most expensive because it purely uses electricity and the machine works like an air-conditioner.

12. Hot-water container – Used to warm pillows and blankets.

13. Electric Flat Panel Heater – used in tiny and small places like toilet and below the office desks.

14. Water Heaters – The famous Rinnai brand uses propane gas and is typically embedded in the piping system of your house to automatically heat the water. This is the most important heater because even during summer, water used for bathing in Japan is relatively cold.

Tips to combat cold and save electricity.

1. Keep on moving. The more you more, the more you warm your body up. A nice stroll every morning and during afternoon would be a nice idea.

2. Do not sleep while your heater is on. It is a precautionary measure against fire and suffocation to hazardous fumes. Use layers of thick blankets instead to insulate yourself.

3. For you to move quickly during the morning, wake up 30 minutes ahead than the usual schedule then quickly turn on the heater. After 30 minutes, if the room is already warm, you don’t feel sloth to move around.

4. Always take a bath during the evening as it will make your body adjust to the room temperature of your home. Thus, the lesser the probability to maximize the temperature gauge of your heater.

5. Set your heater temperature to the lowest possible degree. Then gradually go up to adjust the room temperature.

6. Buy kerosene in bulk. If you have a car, it is a good idea to buy in bulk since there are some gasoline stations who sell their kerosene in bulk at discounted prizes.

7. Practice drinking beer, sake, Nihonshu, shochuu and the like. As with Russians, they drink vodka to warm their body. The above-mentioned alcohols are easily available anywhere in Japan.

8. Enjoy eating nabe dishes, sukiyaki and/or shabu-shabu. While in the process of cooking, the heat generated by the portable nabe stove acts as a heater itself. So it’s a dual purpose.

9. Put salonpas-like pads to warm certain portions of your body. Cheap and easily available.

10. It’s always nice to have someone with under the futon. You know what I mean.