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Japan Sports Fans Keep Their Cool

 

(August 3rd, 2009)

Japan Sports Fans Keep Their Cool

Having successfully held the 1998 Winter Olympics, the 2002 Soccer World Cup, recently chosen as hosts for the Rugby World Cup in 2019, applicants for the 2016 Olympics and the Soccer World Cup once again in either 2018 or 2022; it would certainly appear that there is more to sport in Japan than just plain old 400-year old Sumo.

One company which has taken note is Factory Co., Ltd. in Tokyo specializing in import /export of sporting goods and food products. One of their products is Cool Band – freeze foam.

Cool Band is a cooling foam spray used to keep parts of the body cool. The white mousse acts as a cooling agent on the skin. Within a few minutes it binds tightly into a band shape at a temperature of -5°C.　It can act as a little bandage and is easy to peel off .For those wary of implications, no ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons are used. So anyone from parents who go to watch their children play sports at the weekend, active sportsmen who want to feel cooler after a game or sufferers of sun-burns chilling out on a beach too long, can find this a useful relief for approx $15.

Gaining coverage from TV and online shopping sites it is marketed to a nation where in the month of July, the humidity level has ranged between 71-74% for the past three years according to the Statistics Bureau in Japan. With soaring summer temperatures ranging from 30°C to 40°C, staying cool is paramount. Japanese are swaying towards a more Western culture sports-wise particularly in baseball, soccer and golf– idolizing Ichiro Suzuki, Shunsuke Nakamura or Ryo Ishikawa. Japanese consumers are always keen to buy the latest sportswear. Mizuno Corporation (one of Japan`s leading sports equipment and sportswear companies) reported \30 Billion in sales for 2008 of apparel and footwear; 3% growth from 2007. Golf is also growing in popularity with men and women alike with approx. 200 golf courses and 500 golf ranges in Japan. Much can be attributed to the fame of Ryo Ishikawa (professional golfer since 2008) who became the youngest ever winner of the Japan Golf Tour in 2007 aged 15.

Now rather than splashing on water or carrying a face towel to mop the sweat away, Japanese people have a great way to stay cool whilst enjoying their favorite sports!

AG
2009/08/05