Waking up on winter mornings always reminds me of how primitive life in Japan can be.
The first thing I do is dash across the frigid floor of my apartment to crank up the kerosene heater. Then it's back to bed to wait for the room to warm to a civilized level. Only then can I put on a couple of layers of woolly clothes before eating breakfast, huddled within inches of the heater's hot grill.
It's a primordial-like experience that many dwellers of Japanese houses and apartments can relate to. That's because homes here have long been poorly equipped to keep their occupants warm, despite the long, cold winters in most Japanese regions.