Radiant floor heating in Japan comes in two main types — hydronic (hot-water circulation) and electric — and the features and available plans differ by manufacturer. For landlords and building owners considering floor heating, it's important to understand each manufacturer's characteristics and choose a plan suited to the installation environment. This article walks through the features and product lineups of ten major manufacturers.
Which Are the Recommended Floor Heating Manufacturers, and What Sets Each Apart?
Rinnai
Headquartered in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. Rinnai's systems are known for heating through three simultaneous mechanisms — radiant, conductive, and convective heat — and its hydronic floor heating keeps rooms comfortable even below 18°C room temperature, while also suppressing dryness, condensation, and dust mites better than typical systems. Representative products include the Yuka-Hotto E and HEM series, the Yuka-Hotto 6, and tatami-compatible units.
Daikin
Headquartered in Osaka. Daikin is strong in heat-pump-driven hydronic heating, and its floor heating stands out for its environmental performance, reusing ambient heat from the air to cut CO2 emissions. Its representative product is the Hottokuru System Multi, which links floor heating with the building's air conditioning.
Panasonic
Panasonic's strength is electric floor heating. The company offers a product line built around carbon-fiber heating modules, along with a strong lineup of products designed for overlay installation directly on top of existing flooring during a renovation, without needing to tear up the subfloor.
Tokyo Gas
The leading company in gas-fired hydronic floor heating. Bundling floor heating with a gas rate plan from Tokyo Gas can hold down running costs, which makes this option especially effective for properties within Tokyo Gas's city-gas service area, covering Tokyo, Kanagawa, and nearby areas.
Osaka Gas
Osaka Gas's strength is hydronic floor heating tied to its city-gas supply across the Kansai region. Pairing the system with an Ene-Farm home fuel cell, which generates both electricity and heat on site, can build a highly energy-efficient setup for the whole home.
Toshiba
Toshiba has a long track record as an electric floor heating manufacturer. It offers many thin-panel products and is well suited to retrofit renovations added after a building is already in use.
Hitachi
Hitachi is known for heat-pump-driven hydronic floor heating linked to its EcoCute heat-pump water heaters. This combination is highly energy efficient, and pairing it with solar panels can meaningfully cut utility costs.
Noritz
Noritz is known for combined water-heater-and-heating systems. Pairing hydronic floor heating with an EcoJozu high-efficiency water heater minimizes running costs.
Corona
Corona's strength is hydronic floor heating combined with a kerosene water heater. This makes it especially cost-efficient in rural properties without access to city gas, and in cold-climate regions.
Mitsubishi Electric
Mitsubishi Electric offers both electric floor heating and electric heat-pump systems. Some products can integrate with smart home systems, allowing control from a smartphone even when you're away from home.
Is Floor Heating Standard or an Optional Extra When Building a Custom Home Through a House-Building Company?
When installing floor heating in a custom-built home in Japan, its status differs depending on the house-building company (hausu meka, a Japanese term for large prefab-oriented homebuilders). Many house-building companies treat floor heating as a paid optional feature, in which case buyers choose a hydronic or electric system from a specialized manufacturer such as Rinnai, Panasonic, or Tokyo Gas, as introduced in this article. Ichijo Komuten, by contrast, positions "whole-house floor heating" as a standard feature common to every one of its home models. According to its official website, the system uses hydronic panels laid with cross-linked polyethylene piping with an internal diameter of 10mm, achieves a floor surface temperature of roughly 25–28°C, and is described as having a durability of 50 years or more (source: Ichijo Komuten's official website). When comparing house-building companies, it's important to check individually whether floor heating is standard or optional, whether coverage extends to the whole house or only certain rooms, and what heat source is used.
Comparing Running Costs: Hydronic vs. Electric Floor Heating
The running cost of floor heating varies by system type, heat source, and usage conditions. According to Rinnai's own official estimate, under conditions of propane gas priced at 450 yen per cubic meter and electricity at 22 yen per kWh, running a 12-tatami-mat room for 10 hours a day (with an outdoor temperature of 5°C and a room temperature setting of 20°C) costs roughly 8,800 yen per month (source: Rinnai's official FAQ). For hydronic systems using city gas, Tokyo Gas's own official estimate puts the cost of running an 8-tatami-mat room for 8 hours a day at roughly 170 yen per day, or about 5,100 yen per month (source: Tokyo Gas Next One's official website). Because the room size, hours of use, and fuel unit prices differ between these two estimates, they can't be compared directly on a like-for-like basis, but hydronic systems generally have an advantage in running costs because they only need to actively heat water when required and can then coast on residual warmth. For electric systems, you can estimate utility costs yourself by multiplying your electricity provider's rate per kWh by the power consumption (in watts) listed in the manufacturer's product catalog, so it's worth checking the catalog figures before you commit to a system.
What Are the Benefits and Drawbacks of Installing Floor Heating?
Benefits
- Because the floor warms evenly starting from your feet, the room feels comfortable even when the measured air temperature is relatively low.
- Because the system doesn't blow air, it doesn't stir up dust or pollen the way a fan-based heater can.
- It causes less drying of the air than a standard air conditioner set to heating mode.
Drawbacks
- Initial installation cost is high, particularly for hydronic systems.
- It takes time to warm up — hydronic systems typically need 30 to 60 minutes to reach full temperature.
- Once installed, it can be difficult to rearrange furniture, since heavy pieces placed directly over the heating elements can affect performance.
If you're also considering other equipment upgrades for a rental property, see our guide to retrofitting a reheating bath function in a rental property, covering cost ranges and how to choose a contractor.
How Much Does It Cost to Retrofit Floor Heating Into an Existing Home?
When retrofitting floor heating into an existing home, the most common method is "direct overlay," in which floor heating panels are laid directly on top of the existing flooring. According to Tokyo Gas's official renovation website, the panel unit alone typically costs 50,000 to 100,000 yen (tax included) per tatami mat's worth of area, so installing panels across roughly 60% of a 10-tatami-mat room comes to a total of about 300,000 to 500,000 yen (tax included). On top of that, if you also need to replace an existing gas water heater with a heat source unit compatible with floor heating, budget an additional 200,000 to 500,000 yen (source: Tokyo Gas Next One's official website). Actual costs vary depending on the area to be covered and the condition of the building, so it's worth getting quotes from multiple contractors.
FAQ: Common Questions About Choosing a Floor Heating Manufacturer
Q1. Which is cheaper to run, hydronic or electric floor heating?
Generally, hydronic systems — especially heat-pump-driven ones — have lower running costs. Electric systems keep initial costs down, but hydronic systems tend to be more economical over the long term.
Q2. Can floor heating be installed during a renovation of an older home or condominium unit?
Yes. Many manufacturers offer renovation-oriented products designed to be laid directly over existing flooring. Because this can create a slight step at doorways, you should also factor in adjustments such as trimming doors to fit.
Q3. Does floor heating work poorly with tatami mat rooms?
Manufacturers such as Rinnai offer hydronic mat products designed specifically for tatami rooms. Installation is possible, though the type of tatami material that can be used safely may be limited.
Q4. Does adding floor heating to a rental property improve occupancy rates?
There are many reports that richer equipment specifications have a positive effect on occupancy. This is especially true in cold-climate regions or for north-facing units, where floor heating can be a major selling point.
Q5. How long does floor heating typically last?
For hydronic systems, the heat source unit often lasts 10 to 15 years, while the piping itself can last 30 years or more. For electric systems, the panels typically last around 20 to 30 years. Regular maintenance extends the system's working life in both cases.
