Japan rolls out Do Hiemon Box personal cooling cabins amid heat wave

Japanese firm SDRS has brought the Do Hiemon Box to market – a portable personal cooling cabin that keeps its interior at about 15 °C and directs cold air jets of roughly 5 °C to the head, neck, shoulders and back. The unit, sold for roughly €8,000 (about ¥1.5 million), can be used for around ten minutes at a time, reduces body temperature quickly, consumes about half the electricity of a portable air‑conditioner and folds on wheels for easy transport.

The product is aimed at workers on construction sites, in factories and at outdoor events as Japan endures an extreme heat wave with temperatures exceeding 40 °C. Since its launch in April 2026, more than 150 boxes have been sold. Official data reported over 10,000 heat‑stroke hospitalisations, 14 deaths and 321 severe cases in a single week, highlighting the growing demand for such personal cooling solutions.