Staying warm at home in the Japanese winter

October has ended and winter is coming closer and closer. Depending on the area you are staying at in Japan, it can get very cold, just thinking of the northern parts with walls of snow that are several meters high. Luckily I am not living in these areas, but also here around the metropolitan area of Tokyo it is getting cold, especially for me who is freezing easily.  

So today, let us take a look on five ways I try to stay warm at home while Japanese winter.

1) Warm Clothes

Already a few weeks ago I started wearing long clothes at home, just like pullovers and long pants. My husband started laughing at me because he is still running around in tanktop and shorts at home telling me that it is warm.

In this case I totally love shopping at UniQlo. They have a collection of Heattech clothes which are made for keeping your body warm. I already have a lot of this clothings including thin pullovers, undershirts and leggins which I can use every day. Also socks with cute prints are a must at home now. You can get them everywhere and they not only keep your feet warm, they also make you smile when you see them. At least me.

2) Blankets

I am a big fan of blankets and we have a lot in different designs. Always when I sit down I put one on my legs and one on my back and I feel super warm. Also my cat likes to sleep on me this way what is warming even more.

Recently we found a really useful thing at the second hand shop. It is a Rilakkuma blanket which u can use not only as blanket, but also as small cushion and - best for me – as poncho. So I have a blanket over my shoulders all the time and doesn't need to worry that it drops down.

3) Kotatsu and heating carpet

In my eyes, kotatsu are a really great invention. You have table which you can cover with a blanket and a dinning plate on top. Under the table you have a heater, so you can hide under the blanket and stay super warm.

Unfortunately we still don't have one, because these could be quite expensive. But I could convince my husband to at least buy a heating carpet. We put it under our table close to the tv. If we are sitting there, we can turn it on and quickly get warm. Covered with a blanket it is a really nice place in winter.

4) Warm drinks

A good way to keep your inner body warm are hot drinks. I don’t like coffee and prefer tea. But making a new cup of tea every time you want to drink something is really annoying. Lately I bought a thermos bottle for my home. It keeps my tea warm the whole day and is really convenient.

For sure, also hot dishes just as ramen and udon soups and different nabe are a must in winter.

5) Hokkairo

Last but not least, one of my all-time favorites: Hokkairo! You can get them everywhere (supermarket, drugstore, konbini, 100 yen shop) and they are not too expensive. Normally we use these heating pads when we go outside, however, if you easily get frost bitten as me, you can simply stick them inside your clothes and warm your body up.

These are my five tips to keep yourself warm at home in Japanese winter.

Do you have any other ideas?