An irori (囲炉裏, 居炉裏) is a traditional Japanese sunken hearth fired with charcoal. Used for heating the home and for cooking food, it is basically a square, stone-lined pit in the floor, equipped with an adjustable pothook – called a jizaikagi (自在鉤) and generally consisting of an iron rod within a bamboo tube. It is used for raising or lowering a suspended pot or kettle by means of an attached lever which is often decoratively designed in the shape of a fish. Historically, the irori served as the main source of residential heating and lighting, providing a place to cook, dry clothing, and act as a communal gathering location.

The irori (囲炉裏) has the following functions.

Similar to kerosene heaters common in rural Japan, burning charcoal produces fine particulates and carbon monoxide, the latter which can pose immediate health hazards in a poorly ventilated space. Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter has been implicated in elevated rates of glaucoma and cataracts. High rates have been observed among smokers and rural Indian farmers who practice stubble burning.