Comments on: The Japanese Way: No insulation, no central heating

By: Johnny Canucklehead

Johnny Canucklehead — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 04:52:26 +0000

Having lived in Japan for 20 years and now back in the land where insulation is key, basically who cares why because I have to say Japan has this all wrong period.

Especially, in a trad house which I lived in for two years, it was butt-freezing cold in my house until I got the heater up and running and it summer it was stifling hot. Simply put Japanese really don’t know crap about house construction. Insulation even w/o central heating/cooling would do wonders in keeping heat in in winter and cool air in from the aircon in summer.

Honestly, you can spin it anyway you want but it’s just plain dumb.

By: japan idiocy

japan idiocy — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:16:13 +0000

I’ve been living in Japan for more than 20 years, 5 years in an apartment in Osaka-city, the last 15 in a house I bought. In the apartment I used a gas heater to stay warm in the winter and the gas fees weren’t so bad, but now I live in Nara in the country and I use a kerosene heater(the prices rise year by year). The house is small-20 tsubo and is uninsulated but now I’m seriously thinking about adding insulation because more and more during the winter I have been getting sick mostly because of the temperature change going from room to room. My living/dining/kitchen averages about 18°C(with the heater), the genkan/entrance is the same as outdoors -5°(night/early morning) to around 10° during the afternoon. My bedroom hovers around 15° when I use it at night to -5° when I wake up in the morning. The summers are essentially the same-hot outside-hot inside!
If Japanese houses were made to keep you cool in the summer, and freeze in the winter, what’s the point of buying a house? You might as well be camping outside!

I have been recently talking with housing reform companies to get an idea how much/which insulation I need and pricing.
To which they usually reply by saying I need to get my house up to normal standards by adding earthquake prevention and then adding insulation which ranges in price from 5~10 million yen. And no guarantees! Outrageous!!! I’ll look elsewhere….to California where I’ve found a well-known company that will update my house to Japanese earthquake prevention, add insulation as well as energy efficient windows.
All for less than 4 million. As I keep looking around my future comfort looks much brighter

By: Fish

Fish — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:39:17 +0000

Much less befuddled, thanks!

By: Why Japanese homes often lack central heat and insulation « Okonomibloggy

Why Japanese homes often lack central heat and insulation « Okonomibloggy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:21:23 +0000

[...] 10, 2009 · Leave a Comment Wide Island View explains, via [...]

By: Justin

Justin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:02:37 +0000

When I was a student we had to make do with no central heating during the winter. Instead we used a localised electric heater to heat one room. It was fun for the short period of time, and it did give us all an excuse to get together (more out of necessity than choice!). However, come the end of the winter, our electricity bill was stupidly expensive, and I can’t help thinking that these devices are far less cost effective than central heating – you can always switch off radiators in rooms that are not in use.

By: JapanSoc

JapanSoc — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:14:43 +0000

The Japanese Way: No insulation, no central heating…

Japanese homes can be down right horrible to heat in the winter. Prepare for the cold the right way with some helpful tips….

By: Japundit

Japundit — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:07:07 +0000

Story added…

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