Winter is just around the corner. With this nifty Japanese invention, however, you won’t ever have to fear the cold again! Known as kotatsu, this multi-functional furniture item consists of a blanket wrapped around a low table, with a heat source situated conveniently on the underside. Tucked inside the blanket, the user can keep himself or herself warm while taking a nap, or even reading a book.

The earliest kotatsu design can be traced back to the 14th century Japanese cooking hearth, known as irori. Later in the 17th century, it was replaced by the hori-gotatsu, which is basically a charcoal-filled rectangular floor pit with a low quilt-covered table placed over it. Modern versions of the kotatsu, called oki-gotatsu, are movable and are ideal as space heaters in households without proper insulation.

What is more, this innovative bed-table-couch hybrid is incredibly energy efficient, consuming less than half the power used by a typical air conditioner.

Via: Bored Panda