Naginata Style (薙刀式) Update

Back in August 2025, I wrote up an explanation of the kana-based Naginata Style keyboard layout for typing Japanese. Lately I have started doing touch typing practise with this, and have just updated to Naginata Style v17 from Jan 2026. Time for a brief review, including how I've tweaked it for slightly smaller keyboards.

Naginata Style (薙刀式) for typing in Japanese

Naginata Style (薙刀式), by author Toshihiko Ōoka (大岡俊彦), is a Japanese kana-based keyboard layout which caught my interest. It was developed to work on traditional keyboards with spacebar used as central shift, but also works well on small ergonomic keyboards with thumbs-keys. The most common kana are a single key press, but generalising the idea of shift keys any other kana requiries a two-key combo (including compounds like "きゃ" or "kya"), or at most a three key combo (compounds like "ぎゃ" or "gya" with a ten-ten modifier). The layout is more ergonomic than Qwerty and the rarely used JIS Kana layout, and needs less key presses than romaji.

Ikea ZAISU - Floor chairs for our kotatsu

A year ago I setup a DIY kotatsu using an Ikea LACK coffee table, but never got a proper futon-mat, nor any Japanese style floor chairs to go with it: 座椅子 (ざいす, or zaisu). I'd been seriously pondering importing zaisu chairs when I stumbled on a blog comment suggesting using the top half of an Ikea swivel chair.

So I went back to the Edinburgh Ikea and attempted to check all their chairs to see which (if any) might be used without legs as a simple zaisu. I came home with a pair of Ikea VÅGSBERG swivel chair shells (and nearly bought the Ikea JULES junior desk chair shell as well - a little small for me), and a new thick rug.

Ikea kotatsu & zaisu: LACK coffee table with Metro heater, VÅGSBERG chairs,
ALMSTED rug,  Euro-King size MYSA STRÅ duvet with LYCKOAX cover

A Japanese-style kotatsu made in Scotland

Traditional Japanese wooden houses don't have central heating - instead some rooms have air conditioning (イアコン), the toilet seat is usually heated, while the living room often has a kotatsu heated table (炬燵, こたつ). Modern kotatsu heaters are compact electrical units mounted on the underside of a low table, which is then covered with a quilt hanging down to the floor to trap the heat. Family life in winter is centred on the kotatsu, for watching TV, eating dinner, etc - with everyone sat round the table with their legs and lower body nicely warm.

A kotatsu heater is probably my best souvenir purchase from Japan to date. The heaters are small enough to bring back in a suitcase (unlike a complete kotatsu table unit), maybe even in hand luggage? To create a kotatsu here in Scotland I've attached the heater to an Ikea LACK coffee table, and added a large duvet and voltage transformer:

The kotatsu is a welcome addition to the traditional stone-built Scottish cottage where we live, which is hard to get warm in winter - despite retro-fitted central heating with radiators. If this winter gets really cold, we'll move the kotatsu in front of the open fire place...