This study examines the regional characteristics of energy or fuel poverty in Japan through a new approach. i.e., evaluating energy poverty via the direct measurement of energy service usage. This measure is a kind of relative poverty measure in calorific value, with multiple thresholds reflecting the diverse energy needs of households. The analysis sheds light on several unexplored issues in previous literature. Most notably, the result emphasizes the role of kerosene (heating oil) in securing warmth in winter, especially in the northern regions, and highlights an "energy poverty premium" in Japan on the unit cost of energy (per amount of heat). This study also suggests that the ongoing energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables should be promoted carefully with due consideration to the detrimental impact on the energy poor. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.