Koiso Tekko, a small ironworks in the Shimonokae district of Tosa-Shimizu, Kochi Prefecture, spent a year to develop their robot-shaped stoves. (Hideaki Kato)

Photo/Illutration The arms of the robot-shaped stoves created by Koiso Tekko are movable. (Hideaki Kato)

TOSA-SHIMIZU, Kochi Prefecture--Black wood-burning stoves designed to resemble headless robots dominate the workroom of the small Koiso Tekko ironworks here.

The father and son team who created them call the largest stove, which stands 1 meter tall and weighs 200 kilograms, "Samurai."

All four models on display that Matsuyoshi Koiso, 70, and his eldest son, Masanori, 40, produce are made of iron and shaped like battle gear. They are also outfitted with legs and movable arms.

But only the Samurai features “kacchu” armor.

The Samurai's chest houses an oven. Firewood to keep the flames blazing is inserted through an opening in its "stomach."

Seen with a fire roaring in its belly, the black iron figure appears as if it might spring into action at any second.

Tosa-Shimizu's city government was so impressed with the stoves that in September it selected them to represent the city as its gift for citizens who generously take advantage of the “furusato nozei” (hometown tax) program.

The system lets citizens pay a portion of their residential taxes to a local government of their choice. To attract taxpayers to make donations to their cities, local governments offer gifts in return that are often local specialties.

Taxpayers who donate 1.44 million yen ($13,100) to Tosa-Shimizu city coffers can get small stoves, while the large models are offered for those who give 2.18 million yen or more.

The Koisos are also selling the stoves online.

Prices for two smaller versions, which are less than half the size of the Samurai and another same-size standard model, start at 400,000 yen, excluding tax.

The Samurai and standard model are priced from 600,000 yen. The Koisos said they also accept requests to produce custom-size stoves.

The small ironworks that the duo run in the city’s Shimonokae district had no experience in product development before taking on the challenge of designing robot stoves.

It specialized in industrial iron products for construction purposes.

But after a local customer asked them to build a stove in any design of their choosing, the Koisos' thoughts turned to robots and samurai.

The father and son completed their first robot stove in 2014 after working on the project for a year. As well as keeping rooms warm and being able to bake pizzas and potatoes, the ovens' unique appearance makes them a great conversation piece.

The Koisos said one reason for turning the stove into an item that people could use for interior decoration was they thought it might attract customers even in summer.

Koiso Tekko accepts orders for the stoves via its website at (http://www.koiso-tekko.com/index.html).