On Wednesday February 12, the 99^th Tokyo International Gift Show kicked off at the Tokyo Big Sight. Held alongside the 17^th LIFE X DESIGN exhibition, the 37^th Gourmet Show, and the 19^th LIVING & DESIGN exhibition, the Gift Show is Japan’s largest trade fair, featuring 3,000 exhibiting companies and covering approximately 100,000 square meters of booth space. Japan’s leading MICE News outlet POP Inc. spoke with exhibitors to explore the innovations in the gift industry.

The Tokyo International Gift Show exhibition hall is truly a delight for the senses. Visitors are whisked away to a new world with each aisle they enter. Bright, eye-catching licensed merchandise exhibits of beloved characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Tom and Jerry that feature virtually every neon color known to mankind are juxtaposed with the lush, green jungles of gardening and floral exhibits. Fragrant perfumes and beef sizzling on the grill offer feasts for the nostrils. And the lulling tunes of hand-crafted wooden guitars are contrasted with the upbeat tones of children’s xylophones.

International participation is at an all-time high this year. A total of 342 international exhibitors from 14 countries and regions are exhibiting, with some companies coming from as far as Spain, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

Outdoor recreation brand Waboba Inc. hails from Sweden and has arrived at to the Tokyo International Gift Show in order to showcase their patented Moon Ball, the “highest bouncy ball on Earth.” The company’s booth features a giant gumball machine full of Moon Balls that draws a constant crowd. Global Sales Manager Jonatan Fällman Olander explained that this Gift Show marks Waboba’s first time ever exhibiting at a trade fair in Japan. After participating in international exhibitions throughout Europe and North America, the company is looking to expand into the Japanese market, and Olander has high expectations after a successful first day.
Waboba official homepage: https://waboba.com/

From Taiwan, Tailloon Balloons Co., Ltd. is a balloon manufacturer that produces the country’s most prominent line of balloon products, Prolloon. Tailloon exhibits at two Japanese trade fairs every year: the Tokyo International Gift Show’s spring and autumn editions, said representative Scott Yu. Compared to other international fairs across the world in which the company also exhibits, the Gift Show provides a consistently good turnout, and Yu added that there had already been significant traffic by the Tailloon booth on day one.
Tailloon Balloons official homepage: https://www.prolloon.com/

By far the country with the most exhibitors, however, is China, with a whopping 273 companies. Traveling from the southern metropolis of Zhongshan, F.F. Commerce and Trade Co., Ltd. is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) that predominantly produces candles at their self-owned and operated factory. At the Gift Show, the company is showcasing their “omamori” style charms that each incorporate an original fragrance. F.F. is able to exhibit at Japan fairs many times per year due to assistance from their Japanese agent ForAsu.

Though the international representation is certainly impressive, Japanese companies at the Gift Show are equally hard at work presenting new and exciting trends to shake up the status quo.
TAKEO Co., Ltd. is revolutionizing the world of insect cuisine. The company creates a wide variety food and beverages made with protein from insects, and some fan favorites include salted whole-insect snacks and lollipops with insects fossilized inside. At their cafe in Asakusa, Tokyo, TAKEO offers such delicacies as silk moth meatball curry, cricket ice cream, and even giant water bug beer. Chief Sustainability Officer Shinjiro Saeki recommended the sweet and fruity Water Bug Cider, which is made from the similarly fruity extract of the insect and has been making waves among the booth visitors. Popularizing consumption of insects as an alternative protein source may be an important step towards ameliorating the world food crisis.
TAKEO official website: https://takeo.tokyo/

Based in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Kishi’s Co., Ltd. produces party goods for every occasion. Their booth is decorated to look like a traditional Japanese festival with a touch of flair and showcases the company’s signature festival stalls. The stalls are lightweight and portable, and they feature popular children’s carnival games such as target shooting, yoyo fishing, and ring toss. Sales Planning Division’s Tomoyuki Fukuyama elaborated that Kishi’s can also custom-make original stall designs for their customers.
Kishi’s official homepage: https://www.kishis.co.jp/index_en.html

The 99^th Tokyo International Gift Show Spring 2025 will continue until Friday, February 14. Admission is free for all industry professionals.

On Tuesday, February 4, Japan’s largest hotel and restaurant trade show, HCJ 2025, commenced at the Tokyo Big Sight. HCJ is the gathering of 3 major exhibitions: HoteRes Japan – The International Hotel & Restaurant Show, Caterex Japan – The Exhibition for the Catering Industries, and the Japan Food Service Equipment Show. The 2025 edition features over 850 exhibitors across 20,000 square meters of booth space showcasing products and services benefitting hotel and restaurant operators. A total of 12,068 industry professionals visited HCJ on the opening day, and approximately 60,000 attendees are expected throughout the 4-day event. Reporters from Japan MICE media outlet POP Inc. spoke with exhibitors to uncover the latest trends.

Immediately upon entering the Big Sight’s East exhibition halls, visitors are greeted with an array of scents, from crispy potato croquettes straight from the fryer to fresh linens on hotel beds. The Big Sight venue offers a unique mixture of comfort and relaxation with exciting live cooking demonstrations and energetic foodservice robots.
Speaking of food, among all of the culinary delights being presented at HCJ 2025, the prevalence of waffles stands out in particular. Only to mention a few examples, Suntec Corporation is exhibiting its waffle batter dispenser and waffle maker for use in cafes and restaurants, complete with unorthodox toppings such as salsa and Bolognese sauce. Gibier Inc. is presenting premium Belgian waffle Danish pastries. And the American Waffle Company is offering its Golden Malted waffle and pancake flour mix and personal waffle maker.

However, Japanese sweets are not content to take a back seat to their international counterparts. Rex Very Co., Ltd. an Asakusa-based ice cream manufacturer, is showcasing its wide variety of gelato and Japanese snacks. Furthermore, the company is using HCJ 2025 as a platform to reveal its new “First Flush Tea” product line. Originating from Rex Very’s own matcha sweets cafe named Kaminari Issa, First Flush Tea provides individual tea bags containing the cafe’s original matcha blend, as well as other varieties of green tea. Designer Mayumi Matsuzaki explained that the tea bags are perfect for use in hotels as a welcome drink for guests, or placed in lounges or on buffets.
Rex Very official homepage: https://rex-very.com/

A newcomer to HCJ this year, Lusciouz is making a big impression in the glassware sector. The manufacturer has dedicated its booth entirely to exhibiting its decanters, sommelier corkscrew knifes, and its pre-release “HOTARU” line of crystal wine glasses. “Hotaru” is the Japanese word for “firefly,” which denotes the glasses’ signature characteristic: their glowing stems. When a HOTARU glass is placed under a spotlight, the stem becomes a luminous beam that is striking to behold. Each glass is meticulously hand-crafted and stands out remarkably in bar or restaurant settings.
Lusciouz is a division of Fukuoka-based Adaptrend Co., Ltd., the distributor of the well-known “Shogun Candy” Japanese snack boxes, which have become widely popular internationally. CEO Akimasa Okazaki elaborated that at this point, Shogun Candy has accumulated the highest number of reviews for Japanese goods on US Amazon. He hopes that unveiling Lusciouz products will allow them to also gain traction in Tokyo as the company works toward a full release.
Lusciouz official homepage: https://lusciouz.jp/

In addition to products, services are playing a prominent role in the exhibition as well. Pasona Group Inc. is introducing its Avatar Work Service, employing an animated avatar staff member to assist customers. A Pasona Group operator controls the avatar remotely in order to check in visitors at hotel reception desk, answer inquiries at an information booth, or fills in for any number of other roles. Avatar Solution Team Member Mari Fujimoto explained that since one operator can act as multiple avatars at one time, the service is critical in mitigating the stresses caused in light of recent labor shortages. The Avatar Work Service also offers personnel training and career counseling for employees who may find it easier to discuss more openly with an avatar.
Pasona Group official homepage: https://avatarwork.pasonagroup.co.jp/

Custom art solutions provider K ART Corp. is offering interior design for commercial facilities based around creating the optimal art to “harmonize” with their spaces. From total design consulting of an entire interior concept from scratch, to implementing art installations that complement company branding, K ART has solutions for every situation. At HCJ 2025, the company’s art gallery has created an interior design space that allows visitors to immerse themselves firsthand into the harmony that their art provides.
K ART official homepage: https://k-art-tokyo.com/

HCJ 2025 – HoteRes Japan, Caterex Japan, and the Japan Food Service Equipment Show will continue until Friday, February 7 at the Tokyo Big Sight. Admission is free for all industry professionals with pre-registration.

[Leading Japanese MICE news outlet POP Inc. Event Report]

On Wednesday, November 13, Japan’s largest comprehensive media trade fair Inter BEE 2024 opened at the Makuhari Messe’s halls 2 through 8. Over a 3-day period, a total of 1,058 exhibitors will showcase the latest innovations in video production, broadcasting, entertainment, lighting, audio, and every type of media solution. On the floor, massive camera rigs loom above the booth walls and enclosed audio booths are filled floor to ceiling with variously sized speakers. Many of the exhibitors even offer hands-on experiences, allowing visitors to test cameras on sets with live models. Reporters from MICE news outlet POP Inc. spoke with exhibitors to discover the latest trends.

One field that is attracting a good deal of visitor attention at Inter BEE is the emerging technology of extended reality (XR). XR combines virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in order to create experiences in which the virtual world and the real world interact with each other.
Hashilus Co., Ltd., a producer of interactive devices, is offering visitors the chance to partake in its “GAZTUNT XR” demo, which consists of donning a headset and viewing several short experiences that demonstrate the possible applications of XR. These include a live show by a virtual idol, a guided tour of the Kaminarimon Gate in Asakusa, and a showcase of popular Japanese cuisine. Furthermore, the true piece de resistance of the exhibit is decidedly the “Kickway” motion simulator. The Kickway comprises of a VR headset and a standing platform with handlebars, reminiscent of a segway, that shakes, rumbles, and blows wind at the user in order to further the realism of the experience. Operation and maintenance manager Takashi Iwamoto noted that people who normally become motion sick while using VR should be able to comfortably enjoy XR because it allows them to retain their grasp on the real world surrounding them.
Hashilus recommends that XR be used for exhibiting products that would normally be too large to showcase at an event. Amusement centers and museums can also rent Kickways for entertainment or education experiences.
Hashilus Co., Ltd.: https://hashilus.com/

Innovator One Co., Ltd. is promoting their original brand “Miramage,” the word being a portmanteau of the English “miracle” and “image” combined with the Japanese word for “future”. Innovator One develops a wide variety of devices capable of 4K resolution output, such as television screens, AI video cameras with facial recognition, and casting devices that stream 4K footage from a laptop to a screen in real time.
In addition, the highlight of Innovator One’s Inter BEE exhibit is the 3D Light Field Display, which shows impressive 3D images that are visible with the naked eye. The 3D screens range from an 11-inch tablet to a 98-inch flat screen television, and can be used in advertising, digital model creation, or even during live video calls with loved ones. The Light Field Display at Inter BEE surprised passing visitors with its vividness as they walked by, many stopping in their tracks as the 3D image came into view and proceeding to admire it from various angles.
Innovator Co., Ltd.: https://www.innovator-one.com/3d

In addition to product exhibits, Inter BEE 2024 also features a plethora of special events, the most notable of which being the Inter BEE Cinema. Each day during the event, the Cinema’s Studio Set Area showcases an actual recording of a scene on a film set in order to showcase cinematography techniques. The first live filming demonstration focused on recreating natural lighting artificially, with emcees explaining each technique in detail. Switching from daytime to evening within one take, mixing multiple colors of light to mimic a sunset, and utilizing a fog machine to manipulate light, the trade secrets of film professionals were on full display.

Inter BEE 2024 will be held until Friday, November 15 at the Makuhari Messe. Entry is free of charge for media industry professionals with online pre-registration required.

[Leading Japanese MICE news outlet POP Inc. Event Report]

On Wednesday, October 23, Japan’s largest IT and digital transformation (DX) exhibition opened its doors to visitors at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture. The show consists of four specialized exhibitions: Japan IT Week, Japan DX Week, Sales & Digital Marketing Week, and E-commerce & Store Week. From the opening day, a total of 623 exhibiting companies and their passionate employees were eager to showcase their services for assisting in and optimizing a variety of business operations. Reporters from POP Inc. spoke with exhibitors to discover the latest trends in IT and DX.

Experiencing an eruption in popularity in 2024, generative AI is being featured prominently throughout all areas of the exhibition. NewtonX, presented by SERAKU Co., Ltd., provides a safe and efficient avenue for corporations to utilize ChatGPT. The NewtonX booth is emphasizing the service’s retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), which produces answers by drawing from a wide pool of reliable information. Ryoka Shimizu of the business development sales department explained that special security features elevate NewtonX over silimar AI software, especially those for information leak prevention, suppression of false responses, and protection against OpenAI absorbing data from user interactions in order to re-train its algorithm. Furthermore, the SERAKU team offers templates for prompts and suggestions of ways to utilize ChatGPT tailored to each client’s individual needs.
NewtonX: https://www.seraku.co.jp/pr-site/newtonx/

In the realm of web marketing, Onion News Inc. is a jack-of-all-trades. The “Life Design Network” company provides comprehensive support on all facets of marketing in order to efficiently promote business growth. These include website design, online advertising, search engine optimization (SEO), direct-to-consumer e-commerce, and even video production. Onion’s accomplishments include establishing online stores for a local Chiba prefecture coffee brewery and for a sake-focused fine dining establishment.
Onion News: https://www.onionnews.co.jp/

For companies who wish to get an advantage over their competitors, SimilarWeb offers its Digital Marketing Intelligence service. This collects market data from corporations’ websites and compares and contrasts it with the client company’s data. The service provides detailed graphs and analysis for website page views, the avenue through which users arrived at the website, popular keywords, e-commerce sales data, and trends in these categories among others.
SimilarWeb: https://www.similarweb.com/

Floating amongst the vast seas of service providers, the relatively fewer physical product exhibitors are still certainly making a splash at Japan IT Week. Electrical equipment manufacturer PULAX Corporation is showcasing its “1mm Industrial Endoscope,” which features a one-millimeter wide high-definition camera that is implemented at the end of a two-meter long cable. Development Department Deputy Director Daisuke Nakamura demonstrated how the endoscope can be used to get a magnified view of hard-to-see places, such as the nooks and crannies of a motherboard or inside the USB ports on a laptop. A LED light-equipped version is also available.
1mm Industrial Endoscope: https://www.pulax.co.jp/business/industrial_endoscope_camera.html#camera

Japan IT Week will continue until Friday, October 25 at the Makuhari Messe, and entry is free with registration for all business visitors.

From September 26 to 29, Tokyo Game Show 2024 (TGS) was held at the Makuhari Messe. This year’s edition was the largest in the event’s history. A total of 979 exhibiting companies, including 529 from overseas, showcased the latest video games and gaming technology across 3,252 booths that covered every hall of the Makuhari Messe. Throughout the 4-day event, 274,739 visitors attended, comprising video game industry professionals aiming to conduct business negotiations with developers, as well as game enthusiasts from the general public looking to be the first to playtest unreleased titles. Japan’s leading MICE news outlet, POP Inc., covered the event.

The excitement in the air was contagious throughout the entirety of Tokyo Game Show 2024. From some of the largest game production companies in the world like Sega and Capcom, to individual indie developers, the passion for video games was palpable. In addition, featured games being available on console, PC, smartphone, and even AR and VR offered options for every type of gamer.

Sega
Sega unveiled new entries in their beloved franchises.
Sonic X Shadow Generations will contain two all-new adventures, one with each Sonic the Hedgehog and Shadow the Hedgehog as the protagonist and set in each character’s respective universe. The TGS 2024 playable demo’s Sonic version highlighted classic fast-paced 2D platforming that was what originally endeared players to the franchise. Shadow’s campaign, on the other hand, wowed attendees with massive action-packed boss battles.

Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii stars fan-favorite Goro Majima battling gangs of pirates in scenic Hawaii, a location recently featured in Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth. However, developers insist that the game is not a spin-off, as many players feared, but actually a continuation of the story from the previous title. The Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii display at TGS showcased an impressive pirate ship set being sailed by a life-size Majima statue.

LEVEL-5
LEVEL-5 held a demanding presence again this year with its debut demo of the newest entry in the Professor Layton adventure puzzle game series.
Professor Layton and the New World of Steam is the eighth entry in the iconic franchise, after the series was originally considered to be completed when the sixth game was released in 2013. In the New World of Steam, Professor Layton himself returns as the protagonist, following games previously featuring both his son and daughter. The TGS demo introduces Steam Bison, USA, a town haunted by a gunslinger’s ghost, to which Professor Layton is invited by his apprentice, Luke Triton, to visit a famous inventor and solve some puzzles along the way.

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time was originally planned to go on sale in October 2024, but the release has recently been postponed to April 2025. This change occurred due to the inclusion of “open world” game elements. The TGS 2024 demo (which contained entirely new content not featured in the TGS 2023 demo) allowed attendees to explore the continent of Ginormosia, which is “the largest open world in the series.” In Ginormosia, players can battle enemies and collect resources while exploring a sprawling landscape. Characters can switch manually between paladin and wizard combat “Lifes,” and passive “Lifes” like woodcutter and miner were automatically switched to as needed, which is a huge quality-of-life improvement over the previous requirement of constant visits to the Guild Master.

Japan Electronics College
Game development students from multiple universities were eager to show off their skills to potential buyers and hirers, without fear of being overshadowed by larger companies.
Fishing Within the Stars was developed by three undergraduate students from Japan Electronics College. The game features a stranded astronaut who fishes for space fish in order to use their power to travel home. The fishing mechanics are partially motion-controlled, which makes for a reasonable challenge that feels rewarding to overcome.

Devolver Digital
Japan was not the only country making waves at the Tokyo Game Show. American game developer Devolver Digital showcased Skate Story, a fresh take on the skateboarding video game genre. Skate Story features a demon skateboarder that gradually learns skateboarding tricks in order to improve its lot in afterlife. Compared to other established games in the genre, Skate Story is more notably story-based and atmospheric, which will likely make it an easier entry point for beginner players.

Tokyo Game Show 2025 will be held from September 25 to 28 in-person at the Makuhari Messe alongside simultaneous online content.

On September 4, the Tokyo Gift Show Autumn 2024 edition kicked off at the Tokyo Big Sight. Held twice a year and proudly displaying its claim as the “largest trade show in Japan,” TGS Autumn 2024 covers all 8 of the Big Sight’s East Halls, as well as the entire first floor of the West Hall. The opening day found tens of thousands of visitors eager discovering the latest products being showcased by 2,842 exhibiting companies, including 898 international brands from 16 countries, covering the hottest trends in gifts, furniture, and everyday fashion. Leading Japanese MICE news outlet POP Inc. was on the scene.

Tokyo Gift Show comprises of a variety of themed areas, the most prominent of which are the “Young Fashion & Kids Stuff Fair,” the “Home Furnishings, Lighting & Decorative Goods Fair,” the “Daily Necessities & Sundry Goods Fair,” and the “Personal Accessories & Leather Goods Fair.” Concurrently held exhibitions are LIFE x DESIGN, LIVING & DESIGN, and the Gourmet Show.

Standing out amongst other stationery item exhibitors, Taisei Plas Co., Ltd. is showcasing its scented stamps for use in “oshikatsu,” active support of one’s favorite character, actor, or idol, a.k.a. one’s “oshi.” The stamps are offered in two sizes, a larger stamp that is stored in the base of an acrylic stand featuring a popular character, as well as a smaller stamp that can be obtained at random from a capsule toy machine. Sales Promotion Department Director Yurika Matsubara elaborated that each fragrance is meticulously designed based on the characters’ personalities and traits.
Official website: https://taiseiplas-stamp.com/

EdGift Inc., a highly acclaimed children’s toy maker, is using the Tokyo Gift Show to unveil its new line “TEGUMII” building blocks. TEGUMII are small, flat plastic blocks that notch together and have unlimited creative building potential from only 6 types of pieces. CEO Hikaru Koshikawa explained that TEGUMII are lighter, safer, and easier to put together than many other building blocks on the market. EdGift’s new product line, “BIG TEGUMII,” consists of soft foam TEGUMII that are 5 times the size of the original and sturdy enough to hold kitchenware. In addition, BIG TEGUMII are available for children of all ages, whereas regular TEGUMII are recommend for ages 4 and up.
Official website: https://tegumii.com/

On the other end of the toy spectrum sits JEKCA, the “Building Blocks for Kidults.” JEKCA are brick-shaped blocks that are secured together by screws, using the tiny screwdriver provided with the kits. The product choices consist of a vast lineup of realistic dog and cat breeds in varying poses, as well as zoo animals and iconic ancient architecture. At the Tokyo Gift Show, JEKCA is focusing on showcasing its new Mini block sculptures, which are estimated to be able to be completed in approximately 5 hours. Unfortunately, the booth does not offer the opportunity for visitors to test-build with the JEKCA blocks, and only the finished products are displayed.
Official website: https://jekca.jp/

Among the several regional pavilions, including China and South Korea, one pavilion stole the spotlight: Hawaii. Attendees strolling through East Hall 5 could hardly miss the significant crowd gathering at the Hawaiian and Japanese collaborative cafe, which serves fan-favorite dishes and beverages. This cafe is the face of the Hawaii Pavilion, which is organized annually by the State of Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. Brian Canevari, President of b.C. FRaME Inc., elaborated that the cafe also serves to encourage buyers to visit the Hawaiian Pavilion booths.

b.C. FRaME, a “Functional Research and Mechanical Experimentation” company based out of Kailua on the island of Oahu, is featuring its coconut husk planters at the Tokyo Gift Show. Not only are the planters organic and completely plastic-free, but they also serve as an additional source of nutrients for plants, as the growing roots eventually burrow into the husk itself. According to Brian, his first prototype planters from 2011 are still in good shape, so the husks have proven to be durable and long-lasting despite being comprised of organic material.
Furthermore, b.C. FRaME’s products have been a hot item among Japanese visitors for three years straight. When it comes to local buyers, Brian elaborated, they favor international companies that exhibit year after year. This indicates a commitment to creating a niche in the Japanese market. Even on the first day of TGS, customers that had purchased b.C. FRaME’s sample planters in previous years had visited the booth again, and a significant enough number of samples had been already bought that Brian was unsure his stock would last until the final day.
Not only are the hanging planters popular for Japan’s relatively compact living spaces, but also the market in its entirety is currently geared towards sustainable products. In the last several years, the Japanese public’s concern surrounding environmental issues has skyrocketed, and manufacturers have responded in turn, adapting to processes that uphold the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Marketing towards a society that is aiming to reduce net carbon emissions to zero, Brian shared an anecdote from his first year at the Tokyo Game Show. He had been surprised to receive a visit at his booth from the Japanese Government’s Minister of the Environment, who, regarding the coconut husk planters, stated, “Japan needs this now.”
Official website: https://www.bcframe.com/en-jp/pages/coconut-husk-planters

Tokyo Gift Show Autumn 2024 will continue through Friday, September 6, and entrance is free for industry professionals. The next edition in Spring of 2025 is scheduled to be held from February 12 to 14, also at the Tokyo Big Sight.

From July 24 to 26, Heat Wave Countermeasures Exhibition is being held as part of Maintenance Resilience TOKYO 2024 in the Tokyo Big Sight’s East Halls. The trade fair is running alongside the Occupational Health & Safety Exhibition and the Noise & Vibration Reduction Exhibition. A total of 12,899 visitors attended the event on the opening day. Reporters from Japan’s leading MICE news outlet, POP Inc., were live on the scene.

Global temperatures are ever-increasing due to the effects of climate change caused by natural gas emissions coupled with deforestation, leading to greater and greater demand for products to effectively defeat the heat. Almost poetically, on Monday of this week, simply two days before the exhibition, the Earth surpassed its highest average temperature in recorded history as heat waves swept over North America and Europe. In such extreme conditions, the issue of countermeasures is more pertinent than ever before.

Walking the aisles of the Heat Wave Countermeasures Exhibition was an incredibly refreshing experience. Wednesday, the opening day, was sweltering in its own right, and pausing for even a moment in front of an air-conditioning cooler or under an industrial ceiling fan emphasized the necessity of these products more than any sales pitch ever could. The exhibitor booths were swarming with a gaggle of film crews interviewing company representatives about the latest innovations in avoiding heat stroke.

Sakaken Co., Ltd., a construction hardware and tool materials manufacturer based in Niigata, is exhibiting its summer product line. The newest edition is the company’s “Cross-fan EX,” which is a small, portable fan with a revolutionary cooling plate that can be installed in laborers’ jackets. The plate chills the air as it exits the fan, and it is able to retain its low temperature independent of surrounding conditions. Sales Representative Hossain Arif explained that Sakaken was the first manufacturer to introduce the cooling plate technology in its fans. However, he noted that several other companies at the exhibition were already copying this technique, and he holds enough confidence in the product to anticipate that the majority of fan manufacturers will be copying it by next summer.
Sakaken’s long-term star is the PCM Power Cool Vest III, which contains technology used by NASA. The Power Cool Vest consists of a series of ice packs in the shape of a vest that is wearable under clothing. Once left in the freezer for 30 minutes, the vest remains cold for 3 to 4 hours in extreme heat, without the risk of the wearer getting a cold burn. The ice packs retain their cooling power even longer under less severe conditions, so indoor use is highly recommended.
Official website: https://sakaken.net/

Kokubo Ice Co., Ltd. is taking a more organic approach to preventing heat stroke. While other manufacturers have created their own gels and other concoctions, Kokubo decided that the best coolant of all may have already been bestowed upon us by Mother Nature herself, the substance that so many throughout history have attempted to replicate: ice. The company is showcasing its “Rock Ice” lineup at Heat Wave Countermeasures Exhibition. The crystal clear Rock Ice is offered in a variety of options. From 2-kilogram bags to the personal-use Rock Ice Glass, the cubes are perfect for chilling any beverage. Kokubo’s ice is also endorsed for use in sports conditioning to help prevent injuries in athletes.
Official website: https://kokuboice.co.jp/rockice/

DIC PLASTICS Inc. is focusing its efforts at its booth on demonstrating its cooling construction helmets, of which specifically two technologies are particularly revolutionary in mitigating the danger of heat stroke. Those are the “Heat Barrier” helmet and the “AEROMESH” liner.
Heat Barrier technology kneads heat-shielding pigments into the company’s patented helmet designs, thereby effectively deflecting heat from the Sun’s rays. This is calculated to cool the wearer by up to 12° Celsius more than the average white helmet. AEROMESH liners facilitate the passage of wind through the helmet, complemented by air holes that provide interior ventilation. AEROMESH is calculated to decrease the temperature inside the helmet by up to 8° Celsius.
Official website: https://www.dic-plas.co.jp/products/helmet/index.html

Heat Wave Countermeasures Exhibition 2024 will continue until Friday, June 27. Visitors are able to use their badges to enter the neighboring TECHNO-FRONTIER 2024 and Sustainable Factory EXPO 2024, which cover the rest of the Tokyo Big Sight’s East Exhibition Halls.