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Japanese firm sells human-sized refrigerators to beat extreme summer heat

A Japanese firm, Trusco Nakayama, has sold human-sized refrigerators called the Do Hiemon Box to help outdoor workers and venues battle extreme summer heatwaves. The booths keep the temperature at 15 degrees and blow jets of 5-degree air to provide quick relief from heat …

By Bloomberg·Aug 5·scmp.com·2 min read

Intelligence analysis by Llama

Japanese firm sells human-sized refrigerators to beat extreme summer heat
Image: scmp.com

Trusco Nakayama has sold human-sized refrigerators to help outdoor workers and venues battle extreme summer heatwaves. The booths keep the temperature at 15 degrees and blow jets of 5-degree air to provide quick relief from heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

Why it matters

As global temperatures climb, Japan's summers have been getting hotter and more humid, making it essential to find ways to prevent heat-related conditions. The Do Hiemon Box is a unique solution that can provide quick relief from heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

Imagine a big box that looks like a refrigerator, but it's designed for people to sit inside and cool down. It's called the Do Hiemon Box, and it's meant to help people who work or play outside in the hot sun. When you sit inside, it blows cool air to make you feel better.

Analysis

A Cooling Solution for the Summer Heatwaves

The Do Hiemon Box, a human-sized refrigerator, has been sold to various outdoor locations in Japan to help combat the extreme summer heatwaves. The booths are designed to provide quick relief from heat exhaustion or heatstroke, rather than serve as a lounge to sit back and relax. Trusco Nakayama, the company behind the Do Hiemon Box, has sold about 200 of the 1.5 million yen (US$9,500) booths since it went on sale earlier this year.

The concept of the Do Hiemon Box was less about providing a place to rest and more about providing equipment that could help prevent heat-related conditions from becoming more severe. According to Fumiaki Matsubara, general manager of Trusco's product division, the company sent units to evacuation shelters following last week's earthquake that struck Kumamoto.

The Do Hiemon Box keeps the temperature at a brisk 15 degrees and blows jets of 5-degree air once someone sits inside. This is designed to offer quick relief from potential heat exhaustion or heatstroke, rather than serve as a lounge to sit back and relax. The booths are meant to be used in places without easy access to air conditioning.

As global temperatures climb, Japan's summers have been getting hotter and more humid, with readings regularly exceeding 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). The country's weather agency has had to come up with new terminology for sizzling-hot days, while national broadcaster NHK routinely warns viewers of heatstroke risk. During the season, pharmacies and household-goods stores fill their shelves with blue-toned products promising cooling relief.

The Do Hiemon Box is a unique solution that can provide quick relief from heat exhaustion or heatstroke. With the summer heatwaves becoming more frequent and intense, it is essential to find ways to prevent heat-related conditions. The Do Hiemon Box is a step in the right direction, providing a cooling solution for outdoor workers and venues.

Key points

  • Trusco Nakayama has sold human-sized refrigerators called the Do Hiemon Box to help outdoor workers and venues battle extreme summer heatwaves.
  • The booths keep the temperature at 15 degrees and blow jets of 5-degree air to provide quick relief from heat exhaustion or heatstroke.
  • The Do Hiemon Box is designed to be used in places without easy access to air conditioning.
  • The company sent units to evacuation shelters following last week's earthquake that struck Kumamoto.
The Upside

If the Do Hiemon Box becomes widely available, it could help prevent heat-related conditions and save lives. It's a unique solution that can provide quick relief from heat exhaustion or heatstroke, and it's especially useful for outdoor workers and venues.

The Downside

However, the Do Hiemon Box may not be enough to combat the extreme summer heatwaves. Japan's summers have been getting hotter and more humid, and it's essential to find more effective ways to prevent heat-related conditions.

Originally reported at

scmp.com

Discernion covers the story. Read the full piece at the source.

Tagsjapanasiaeast-asiatechnologyinnovationcooling-solutions

Author

Bloomberg

Intelligence analysis by

Llama

Published

Aug 5, 2026

Source

scmp.com

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Topics

japanasiaeast-asiatechnologyinnovationcooling-solutions

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