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The Mainichi
5 days ago
- General
- The Mainichi
News in Easy English: Osaka station opens special spaces to help people calm down
TOKYO -- Osaka Metro opened a special place called "calm down, cool down" spaces at Yumeshima Station in Osaka. The station opened this January for the Expo (a big world event) in Osaka. These are the first calm-down spaces like this at a station in Japan. These spaces help people who feel very sensitive to things like bright lights, loud noises, or too many people. They can feel safe inside and relax quietly. Each space at Yumeshima Station has two booths. Each booth has a grey sofa and is about 1.8 meters high, 1.5 meters wide, and 1.5 meters deep. The booths are near the ticket gates on each side. Jiei Kato, 19, is a company president in Tokyo. He also has sensory sensitivity. He visited these spaces and said good things and bad things about them. He was glad the booths were quiet, black-colored outside, and in a place with few people. But he said they had some problems, too. For example, the booths had no roof and felt too bright. It was also easy to see people in the next booth. People felt worried because there was no clear sign showing if the booth was being used or not. Kato said, "People who have sensory sensitivities often want privacy. They feel safe if other people cannot see them going in or coming out." Osaka Metro said these special spaces are still new and that they can make them better in the future. They plan to change things after receiving ideas from users like Kato. They have already added a light outside each space to show when a booth is busy. Kato's ideas helped create calm-down spaces in other places at the Expo event, too. Those new spaces have adjustable lights and less noise. While there are some problems, Kato said these calm-down spaces are very helpful. He said even if people never use them, knowing these spaces exist can help people feel safer and go to more places. (Japanese original by Natsumi Hara, Tokyo Bureau)
The Mainichi
25-05-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
Japan-1st 'calm' spaces at station in Osaka offer sensory solace, yet hurdles remain
TOKYO -- At Osaka Metro's Yumeshima Station in Osaka, which opened this January ahead of the ongoing Osaka-Kansai World Expo, visitors with sensitivities to things such as light and sound can take a moment to cool down and calm down away from sensory overload in Japan's first in-station spaces built for the service. According to subway system operator Osaka Metro Co., the "calm down, cool down" spaces are a first of their kind to be set up within a railway station in Japan. However, Jiei Kato, the 19-year-old president of Crystalroad Inc., a company based in Tokyo's Chuo Ward that sells the same kind of facility, said that the spaces "still face a number of challenges." Kato himself has sensory sensitivities. In 2020, Kato started research organization Kabin Lab to disseminate information and develop products for sensory sensitivity while conducting research and product development in collaboration with companies and universities. In an online survey by Kabin Lab, over 80% of sensory-sensitive respondents said they have given up on outings due to the lack of rest areas. According to Osaka Metro, Yumeshima Station has two "calm down, cool down" areas, each with two booths, positioned on either side of the ticket gates. Each box-shaped booth placed along a wall is about 1.8 meters high, 1.5 meters wide and 1.5 meters deep, and contains a grey sofa. On a visit in March, Kato said he had a good first impression as the booth's exterior is black, the same color as the walls, and it is located in a place where not many people seem to come. On the downside, however, it lacked a roof and had direct light from above, while the walls were made of a reflective material, making him feel it was too bright. Furthermore, the entrance to the adjoining booth was close, making it hard to ignore those nearby. Kato commented, "People with sensory sensitivities, especially those with psychological conditions, have a strong desire not to be seen coming and going." There was also no indicator the booth was in use, making Kato worry about the possibility of someone entering. The calm-down spaces are installed in a number of places at the Expo 2025 venue. One, which Kato worked on as an adviser, has its own separated room that blocks outside noise and allows the user to adjust the lighting. When the Mainichi Shimbun conveyed Kato's feedback to Osaka Metro, an official responded by saying that the concept is at the halfway stage. Regarding the brightness, the official reported that users with other disabilities felt it was dark, so it was not possible to create a space in line with everyone's needs. The official added that the ideal of a closed space with a roof where users can adjust lighting presents challenges in terms of security and equipment. Regarding the closeness of the entries to each booth, the official explained that not much station space was available for the rest areas. However, after hearing about the concerns over a lack of an in-use indicator, one that lights up as the spaces are occupied was installed. Yet since there is just one for both spaces, it can prove difficult to know which, or whether both, of them are in use. Additionally, the lamp is motion detection-based, so if the person inside stays still, it'll shut off. The official said they wish to improve the system based on user feedback. While pointing out the areas for improvement at the facilities in Yumeshima Station, Kato said he welcomes a broader introduction of the calm-down spaces in stations and elsewhere. He agreed that they can pose a challenge considering the difficulty of hearing emergency announcements if they are fully noise-blocking. Another potential problem with the calm-down facilities is the possibility of misuse for criminal activities. Talking about his hopes for their spread going forward, Kato remarked, "Even if the calming down spaces are not actually used, their mere presence provides a sense of security and increases the choices for where to go out."
