In many Japanese homes, people heat or cool only the rooms they are using instead of keeping the entire house at one temperature. When a household has a pet or a small child, the decision is therefore not just about setting the thermostat. Families also have to think about who will be in each room and which appliances can be used safely.
When a pet is left home alone, some families leave the air conditioner running in the room where the animal stays. This does not mean that Japanese pet owners always keep the air conditioning on. The decision depends on the region, the weather, the outside temperature, how long the pet will be alone, and how well that particular animal handles heat or cold. There is no single rule followed by every household. Owners decide what is necessary for the pet as a member of the family.
Many people would be much more reluctant to leave a kerosene heater or electric space heater running while a dog or cat is alone in the house. Such appliances can be knocked over, become a fire risk, or cause burns if an animal gets too close. For this reason, families are more likely to leave an air conditioner running than a portable heater.
Having a small child does not necessarily mean that a family stops using a kerosene heater. For decades, families in Japan have placed protective barriers commonly known as stove guards around heaters to prevent children from touching them. These guards are still a common safety option today.
The precautions may change as the child becomes more mobile. Parents may use a guard while the child is still moving within a limited area, move the heater once the child starts walking around more freely, or switch to another type of heating altogether. The heater is not always removed immediately. Families often adjust how and where it is used as the child grows.
Kotatsu and heated carpets also require care, even though they have no visible flame. A child or pet that remains in the same position for a long time may suffer a low-temperature burn or become dehydrated. These appliances may seem safer than an exposed heater, but they are not completely risk-free.
In practice, Japanese families usually adapt the heating and cooling equipment they already have rather than replacing everything at once. They may heat or cool only the room where the pet stays, avoid portable heaters while no one is home, place a guard around a kerosene heater, or move an appliance as a child becomes more active. The final decision depends on the home, the local climate, the child’s age, and the animal’s needs. Rather than following one national rule, families try to balance safety with the way they already live.