Achieving the Ultimate Disaster Preparedness Goods to Make Japan Resilient to Natural Disasters
Japan faces numerous natural disasters, forcing many to lose their homes and endure evacuation life. NAMIRE envisions a robust shelter that withstands earthquakes, floats in tsunamis, and maintains a comfortable indoor environment year-round. This 'third place' aims to be a space where people can live with dignity, neither an evacuation center nor a home. In collaboration with the Shizuoka Outdoor Technology Research Group, they developed titanium chopsticks that clean with minimal water, inspired by the Noto Peninsula earthquake, and are promoting them via crowdfunding.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 1, 2026 at 09:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 01:00
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 22:00 (356h 59m after Collected)
Japan has continuously faced numerous natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis, and landslides. Each time, many people lose their homes and are forced to live in evacuation, experiencing physical and mental fatigue and anxiety. Evacuation centers lack privacy, car-shelter living poses health risks, pets cannot stay with their owners, and toilet facilities are insufficient. Disasters can strip not only homes but also human dignity.
Our dream is a 'protected space'.
* Robustness to withstand falling rocks from earthquakes.
* Buoyant structure that does not sink even if swept away by a tsunami.
* Indoor environment that maintains a comfortable temperature regardless of the season.
* A quiet and safe space where two adults can rest with their limbs extended.
* Freedom to spend time with pets.
* And mobility that allows it to be easily carried anywhere.
This is neither an evacuation center nor a home, but a 'third space where people can live as human beings'. This is NAMIRE's vision of a 'third place', a future shelter.
Shizuoka Outdoor Technology Research Group's Initiatives
Development of Disaster Preparedness Goods
What is needed after a safe 'third place' are disaster preparedness goods. Various companies are pooling their expertise to develop goods useful for disaster victims. This time, we developed an innovative item: titanium chopsticks with a super-hydrophilic coating that allows oil stains to be removed with just a small amount of water. This was inspired by the months-long water outage during the Noto Peninsula earthquake. We plan to conduct public relations activities through crowdfunding, hoping to solve one of the challenges faced by victims.
Our dream is a 'protected space'.
* Robustness to withstand falling rocks from earthquakes.
* Buoyant structure that does not sink even if swept away by a tsunami.
* Indoor environment that maintains a comfortable temperature regardless of the season.
* A quiet and safe space where two adults can rest with their limbs extended.
* Freedom to spend time with pets.
* And mobility that allows it to be easily carried anywhere.
This is neither an evacuation center nor a home, but a 'third space where people can live as human beings'. This is NAMIRE's vision of a 'third place', a future shelter.
Shizuoka Outdoor Technology Research Group's Initiatives
Development of Disaster Preparedness Goods
What is needed after a safe 'third place' are disaster preparedness goods. Various companies are pooling their expertise to develop goods useful for disaster victims. This time, we developed an innovative item: titanium chopsticks with a super-hydrophilic coating that allows oil stains to be removed with just a small amount of water. This was inspired by the months-long water outage during the Noto Peninsula earthquake. We plan to conduct public relations activities through crowdfunding, hoping to solve one of the challenges faced by victims.
FAQ
What is the 'third place' that NAMIRE aims for?
It is a mobile shelter that is neither an evacuation center nor a home, strong against earthquakes and tsunamis, maintains a comfortable indoor environment, allows two adults to rest comfortably, and can accommodate pets.
What kind of disaster preparedness goods have been developed?
Inspired by the Noto Peninsula earthquake, titanium chopsticks with a super-hydrophilic coating have been developed, which can remove oil stains with a small amount of water.