Job Discussion Forums

[elizabeth]

Glenski,

Thanks for reminding me about a washing machine!

How much do you think a (2nd hand)? heater and tank will cost? Is it used to heat the water? I've never heard of that system before. If it's a heater then perhaps I won't need want until winter time?

[Glenski]

elizabeth,

Never had to buy the kerosene heater, so this is just a ballpark figure. 30,000 to 50,000 new

It's a room heater. Mine was piped to the outdoors, so its power was pretty hefty, and it was used to heat the entire apartment. Some have a grill on top, so it's possible to rest a pot of water on it, but the purpose is not for cooking.

Maybe they are only in the colder regions of Japan. I seem to recall a ceiling mounted unit that was combination air conditioner and room heater, but this was not a kerosene heater.

If you want a picture, email me.

[Shonai Ben]

You should be able to buy a new kerosene heater for around 20,000 yen
at any major dept. store and a used one can range from 3-7,000 yen.
Depends where you shop.There are many second hand shops in Japan and
many teachers post used items for sale on bulleton boards before they leave Japan so you can pick up some real bargains.
Hope this helps you out.Cheers.

[TokyoLiz]

Shonai Ben's approximate price for a used heater sounds more like it - 5000-7000 yen. I had two in my old apartment, and got both of them for a man - 10,000 yen.

Be careful with them if you use them. Usually they have auto ignition, you crank it up to heat the place, and when you want to turn in for the night, you have to turn it off and vent the room. If you don't, you don't wake up the next morning. The fumes or co2 kill ignorant gaijin every year.

Even on Shikoku, where the winter temperature is much higher than Hokkaido, I still needed a heater. On west Shikoku island in January, the temperature hovers above freezing for weeks at a time, and we even had snow one morning. Imagine waking to find last night's dishwater frozen.

The feeling of living in a Japanese house is so different from Canada or the US. I always felt a little exposed - the thin walls and cedar frames of older houses don't insulate sound or heat well, and I always felt as though I was camping in a cabin. Tatami mats and plaster walls dampen the sound in Japanese homes, making the acoustics very different from Canadian homes with their smooth gypsum board walls and linoleum floors. After a while, I really got to enjoy the differences.

[Glenski]

The type of "space heater" that I'm talking about is made to vent to the outside, not stand alone in any place you choose to put it. So, that's why the price I cited is higher. It's also much more powerful and comes with a separate 20-liter tank for the kerosene.

[elizabeth]

Thanks for all your useful info. however I am working out initial start up costs for my unfurnished apartment and since I arrive in Japan on April (South Japan), I'm hoping to prospone any kind of heating system until Autumn? My main concern was how much stuff like a bed, washing machine, fridge, cooker etc would cost.

[Shonai Ben]

If you are going to the southern part of Japan a kereosene heater may not
be needed.Exactly where are you going?As for the other items mentioned, you can probably pick them up pretty cheaply if you do some searching at the second hand shops or check the bulleton boards at the international centre.Cheers.

[David W]

I'd be more concerned with getting an air conditioner before getting a heater. If you're gonna be in the south you'll definitely need it. By April you won't need a heater.
Also just a FYI- what you call South Japan (Shikoku, Kyushu, the Chugoku area of Honshu) is referred to as Western Japan. To my way of thinking it's South Japan but the Japanese prefer west so don't get confused.