First in Kansai, Umbrella Sharing Service Launches in Osaka! "COOL MOVE OSAKA" Kicks Off with iKasa, TRIP, and 8 Kansai Railway Companies to Reduce Heatstroke Risk and Ensure Safe, Comfortable Travel Even on "Extreme Heat Days".

Nature Innovation Group Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Teruji Marukawa), operator of the umbrella sharing service "iKasa" that makes rainy days comfortable and happy, and "TRIP," an innovation cluster composed of TISI Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and CEO: Yasushi Okamoto) and railway operators, will launch the heatstroke countermeasures project "COOL MOVE OSAKA" in collaboration with 8 railway companies in Kansai on July 2, 2026, offering the first "parasol sharing" service in the Kansai region.

In recent years, record-breaking heatwaves have continued, with a new term "extreme heat day" established to describe days with maximum temperatures of 40°C or higher, raising alarm about the heat. We will deploy the "iKasa mini" all-weather folding umbrella at approximately 270 stations in the Kansai region, mainly at major Osaka stations (1,130 units), aiming to reduce the risk of heatstroke and create an "Osaka where people can walk safely even in extreme heat."

Escalating Summer Heat Risk in Osaka

iKasa began full-scale operations in Osaka last year. The number of spots has expanded through collaboration with Kansai railway companies.

In June 2025, iKasa launched "Osaka, a City Without Need for Umbrellas" in collaboration with Asahi Kasei Home Products, Osaka Metro, Hankyu Railway, Hanshin Electric Railway, and JR West Japan. We began full-scale operations in Osaka with the aim of improving convenience on rainy days and achieving "zero disposable umbrellas." In this project, we established over 100 iKasa spots within a 600m radius of approximately 150 stations in the Kansai area and Umeda Station, totaling over 250 iKasa spots. As of June 2026, the number of spots in the Kansai area has surpassed approximately 270 stations, with a total of over 500 spots including other commercial facilities, office buildings, and universities.

Reference) Umbrella Sharing iKasa Launches "Osaka, a City Without Need for Umbrellas" in Collaboration with Asahi Kasei Home Products, Osaka Metro, Hankyu Railway, Hanshin Electric Railway, and JR West Japan!

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000204.000036740.html

"Heat" Threatens Osaka Residents. The number of heatstroke transport cases in Osaka Prefecture is trending at about 1.7 times last year's pace.

According to the national number of emergency transports due to heatstroke (※1) compiled for 2025 (May-September), Osaka Prefecture had 7,202 emergency transports, ranking second in the nation after Tokyo. Furthermore, the number of recent transports within Osaka Prefecture is 306 people (May 1 - June 7 ※2), trending at about 1.7 times the pace of the same period last year. This summer, Osaka requires unprecedented vigilance against the heat.

Amidst this situation, the Japan Meteorological Agency has established and officially introduced "extreme heat day" as a new term to describe days with maximum temperatures of 40°C or higher, starting in 2026. The heat, which is worsening year by year, is not a temporary phenomenon but a societal issue that requires us to reconsider how we conduct daily travel and outings.

※1 Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Fire and Disaster Management Agency "Heatstroke Emergency Transport Status (Final Figures) for Reiwa 7 (May-September)"

※2 2026 Preliminary Figures: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Fire and Disaster Management Agency "Heatstroke Emergency Transport Status (Weekly Preliminary Report)" Osaka Prefecture data compiled (May 1 - June 7, 2026)

"COOL MOVE OSAKA" Aims to Realize Safe, Secure, and Comfortable Travel Even in Extreme Heat

Project Overview

This project is a heatstroke countermeasures initiative undertaken by the innovation cluster "TRIP," composed of railway operators, and Nature Innovation Group Inc., which operates the umbrella sharing service "iKasa," in collaboration with 8 major railway companies in Kansai. Through a parasol sharing service that anyone, regardless of gender or age, can easily use, we aim not only to reduce the risk of heatstroke but also to create an "Osaka where people can walk safely even in extreme heat."

< Collaborating Railway Operators > Osaka Metro, Osaka Monorail Co., Ltd., Kita-Osaka Kyuko Railway Co., Ltd., Kintetsu Railway Co., Ltd., Keihan Electric Railway Co., Ltd., Nankai Electric Railway Co., Ltd., Hankyu Railway Co., Ltd., Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd.

< iKasa mini Installation Locations >

Starting July 2, the "iKasa mini" all-weather folding umbrella will be progressively deployed at stations of the collaborating railway companies.

(1,130 units) will be deployed. For details on installation locations, please check the official "iKasa" app.

< iKasa App Download >

Osaka Original Design "All-Weather Folding Japanese Umbrella" to be Released.

To commemorate the launch of this project, we will release a limited edition of 30 "Osaka-like" original design all-weather folding Japanese umbrellas. These designs were selected based on survey results conducted among Osaka residents and international visitors in Osaka Prefecture, adopting the following two designs.

※ Scheduled for progressive deployment at each spot starting late July.

About the All-Weather Folding Umbrella "iKasa mini"

Developed with the concept of "Free and easy, rain or shine," the "iKasa mini" is lightweight (approx. 250g) and compact, yet uses high-performance fabric with over 99.9% UV protection and over 99.99% light-blocking rate (using Class 1 light-blocking fabric)※, protecting users from strong summer sun and UV rays.

【Product Overview】

・Product Name: iKasa mini

・Weight: Approx. 250g

・Colors: Black, Sky Gray, Beige (initial deployment colors)

・Size: Rib length 60cm / When folded: Length 31cm, Width 5cm, Height 6cm

・Features & Specs: UV cut rate 99.9% or higher, light-blocking rate 99.99% or higher (Class 1 light-blocking), wind-resistant (uses fiberglass ribs), shape-memory fabric

※ "UV Protection Rate 99.9% or higher (JIS L 1925 test value)" "Light-blocking Rate 99.99% or higher (JIS L 1055 Method A test value)"

About the Umbrella Sharing Service "iKasa"

"iKasa" is Japan's first full-scale umbrella sharing service, launched in December 2018 with the mission of "making rainy and sunny days comfortable and happy" and "zero disposable umbrellas." It allows users to borrow durable and sustainable "iKasa" umbrellas at stations and around town instead of purchasing disposable umbrellas for sudden rain. When the rain stops, users can return the umbrella to the nearest umbrella spot, contributing to the environment while traveling conveniently empty-handed. Currently, with over 920,000 app members, it is available throughout Tokyo including Tokyo Station and Shinjuku Station, as well as in 12 prefectures such as Kanto, Kansai, Aichi, Okayama, Fukuoka, and Saga, with over 2,500 spots installed. Amidst increasing abnormal weather conditions such as rising temperatures due to climate change and guerrilla rainstorms, we aim to create a society where people can enjoy comfortable rainy and sunny days while reducing environmental impact.

Register for the "iKasa" app here: https://www.i-kasa.com/

What is the Innovation Cluster "TRIP"?

Composed of TISI Co., Ltd. and railway operators, TRIP leverages TISI's expertise in promoting startup support and the diverse assets of each railway operator to create innovation through startup support.

【Areas of Focus】 With "Railways and Transportation" as the main theme, we aim to solve social issues by utilizing the technologies and solutions of startup companies in areas such as well-being, climate change countermeasures (climate tech), and biodiversity recovery/conservation (nature tech).

【Structure and Activities】

By strengthening our structure through the recruitment of new railway and transportation operators as cluster members and business companies (support partners) who can cooperate with our activities, we aim to become a cluster that can provide a wide range of support activities for startups, including fundraising, business matching, and promotion.

HP: https://tib-trip.com/