New and Absurd Way to Stay Cool in Japan

It’s summertime, and people are doing everything they can to beat the heat.

In the U.S., it’s pretty straightforward. You can just chill in your air-conditioned house, use a fan, hit the pool, or if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, browse in a library while pretending to get into a book.

But Japan, known for its technological quirks—from the Walkman to vending machines that sell used clothing—has come up with an absurd solution. Yes, it involves a human-sized refrigerator, which might sound strange unless you’re really desperate to cool down.

Meet Do Hiemon’s “Personal Cooler Box,” advertised as the next big thing for those who find themselves without air conditioning, a public swimming pool, or even a fan nearby.

This giant, seven-foot-tall, stainless steel box can pump the inside air down to a chilly 59 degrees, directing even colder, 41-degree air to cool your head and neck. Sounds great, right?

But here’s the catch: it will set you back a whopping 1.5 million yen, which translates to around $9,200. Sure, it does the job, but honestly, that’s like using a jackhammer to remove the weeds in your backyard—effective, but kind of excessive.

What I find amusing is that this idea likely stemmed from someone opening a refrigerator on a sweltering day and thinking, “Hey, what if we just… put a person inside?”

By the way, you can always hop into your own fridge for a quick cool-off, and it won’t cost you a dime. Well, legally speaking, I wouldn’t advise it, but no one can truly stop you from opening your fridge and cooling off your head for a few moments.

While you’re there, you could also pretend you’re Indiana Jones surviving a nuclear test in some far-fetched movie plot.