But the heat was quick to dissipate in the cold surrounding air, so kotatsu, an ingenious setup was invented: a table covered by a futon was placed over the fire source, and the people were able to sit with the legs underneath the table.
Over the time the design of kotatsu was improved, and today they are still popular, being made with electric heaters.
EXIF info:
Nikon Df
Lens: 24-70mm F/2.8G
Focal Length: 24mm
Aperture: F/3.2
Shutter Speed: 1/60s
ISO Sensitivity: ISO 2000