The Hin-ya Lift dry mist machine installed in the escalator in front of Akihabara Station began running on June 29.

The Hin-ya Lift is a device that makes use of dry mist technology to lower the surrounding air temperature by emitting microscopic artificial mist and letting it evaporate. In April 2006, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced that it would partially subsidize businesses that install dry mist devices to be a model for others and to promote measures against the area becoming a heat island, and Akihabara business Crossfield Management applied under the program. As a result, the company’s proposal was adopted, and since 2006 the devices are turned on every summer.

The Hin-ya Lift runs from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., automatically turning itself on when the temperature is 27ºC or higher, humidity is 70% or lower, wind speed is 3 m/s or less and there is no rainfall.

 The machine will run until September 30.

 This article has been created in collaboration with
Akiba Keizai Shimbun