new

I got a new yutanpo (the one on the right).

It is a little "slimmer" and smaller than my old one (the one on the left).

Both were made in Japan.

I like the zip-up case (not made in Japan) for the new one, but still use the red pouch together with the zip-up because the new case is a little thin (don't wanna get burnt!).

This time around, I hope this one will last longer.

saying goodbye

I first wrote about my yutanpo here, 5 years ago...

I had to bid it "goodbye" recently as rust had eaten a hole in it and the boiling water was seen dripping out.

Thank goodness I didn't get scalded by the dripping water and "thank you" for keeping me warm all these years.

setsuden

Ha! I guess I did jinx myself, because yesterday, we had some hail and some flurries...woot!

Anyway, trending word these days is "setsuden" (set-sue-den) it is the fusion of two words.

Setsuyaku means to conserve. Denki is electricity.

Since the massive earthquake and tidal wave earlier this year, all of Japan is trying to conserve electricity so that we can help pass on some of it to the Tohoku (North Eastern Japan) areas.

In Osaka, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. we're asked to cut back at least 10% of our usage.

Since I try not to use the heater as much as possible, I've been wearing my down vest and I've been really making use of this...my yutanpo.

Filling it with boiling water, it stays hot for about 4 hours.

I know in my previous post, I said you can use the water to wash dishes or your face, but my yutanpo has had rust from the beginning, so I don't use the water, just dump it out.

Not sure if I'm conserving water or gas by doing this, but at least I'm doing my part to conserve electricity.

yutanpo

If you remember, I talked about yutanpo awhile back.

Well, last summer during those warm hot and humid nights, I found a great way to use this.

I fill the yutanpo with water then stick it into the refridge during the day. Then before going to bed, I take it out and we put our feet on it.

It is a great way to keep cool. Plus, it helps save us from sleeping with the a/c all night long.

yutanpo

After 6 years here, I finally bought one. Actually, I didn't know about them until recently. Yutanpo is the Japanese version of a hot water bottle. They are made of totan (tin), yes, like the totan roofs some of our houses have in Hawaii. There are plastic yutanpo too, but I think the metal ones hold the heat longer.

This one is about 12 inches long and 10 inches wide and holds about 3 liters of water. Heat water to just before boiling. Add it carefully to the yutanpo, cork it tightly and slide it into the fabric bag.

Be careful! If the water is too hot, you could get mild burns.

It is best to put the yutanpo into your bed to warm it up, then when you are ready to sleep, take it out. This is to prevent burning yourself while sleeping.

In the morning, the water should still be warm, and you can use it to wash your face or dishes.

I'm hugging mine as I type.