
It’s the dog days of summer and your poor little poochie is sprawled out on the hardwood floor, trying to suck up as much coolness as possible. She’s looking up at you with those pleading, puppy dog eyes, hoping for some sort of relief from the heat because you’re too cheap to turn on the air conditioner. Sure, humans have handheld fans, fancy cooling sprays, and delicious ice cream, but what does Fido get? If you’re in Japan and have enough extra cash, your dog could be chilling out this summer in its own personal air conditioner box.
Officially marketed as a “heating and cooling dog house,” this dog torture chamber box was invented by the folks at MRT, a company based in Japan that produces sensors and measuring instruments. It measures 430x430x470mm (17x17x18.5in) and comes in three colors: wood, pastel pink, or pastel blue. The internal temperature of the dog house can be raised and lowered between 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) and 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). Wait a tick…40 degrees Celsius?! With the front door latched shut, your poor pet is liable to start cooking…
Of course MRT doesn’t discriminate; the company suggests stuffing your cat, rabbit, or ferret in their boxes as well. If you love your animal 49,800 yen (US$515) worth (that’s the price of this crazy machine), then order yours on their official website. Energy consumption is estimated to cost only 750 to 1,000 yen (US$7.50 to $10) a month…so that’s good.
Whatever you do, just be sure to keep this contraption away from your microwave. We’re not responsible for what might happen if you confuse the two.


Zoo director begs people to stop screwing with air conditioner, setting it to lowest temperature
Japan’s new wearable air conditioner belt is here just in time for the Tokyo heat wave
Dog’s Onsen: Give your pet a traditional Japanese hot spring bath
Shiba Inu in the snow: Japanese dogs melt hearts with their love for the cold【Pics & Video】
W.T.F. Japan: Top 5 odd ways Japanese people beat the summer heat【Weird Top Five】
New Travelling Bento pouches turn your luggage into a Japanese lunch box
How to take your home ramen to the next level by making your own chashu pork in a frying pan
Does a long line mean a sweeter deal? We compare two sweets from a Hokkaido food fair【Taste test】
McDonald’s and Gundam team up for customized anime mecha and fried chicken sandwiches[Video]
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Foreign man arrested for walking on Shinkansen tracks, claims he was on the run from yakuza
New 7-Eleven sandwich goes viral in Japan, but is it everything it’s cracked up to be?
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Schoolkids learn life skills through shopping field trips at street markets in Kochi Prefecture
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
Two food hacks take Japan’s convenience store fried chicken to amazing new sandwich heights
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
Tokyo teahouse serves up a sakura matcha dessert you won’t find anywhere else
7-Eleven Japan’s new baked-in-store sweet treat is only available in three parts of the country
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says