Time Out in association with Hakuhodo i-studio
Outdoor trekking and backcountry adventures are popular activities across Japan’s many ski resorts and nature attractions. They are fun, but you have to take some safety precautions, just in case you’re lost or got injured along the way. This is where LifeLineLunchBox comes in; it is an inventive new service that will help ensure your safety no matter where you’re off trekking. Plus, it comes with a delicious meal, too.
So how does the service work? LifeLineLunchBox provides you with a Japanese bento lunch that is packed in a smart container equipped with a state-of-the-art LPWA wireless module, which will help track your location and safety status. Once you’re done enjoying your meal, press the ‘thank you for the meal’ button and a signal will be sent to the mountain base, thus updating your safety status and location. Once the base receives your location information, your friends and family will be able to keep track of both your location and status via the Trek Track 3D Map that’s accessible on both smartphones and computers. Simply put, your loved ones are then able to check on your safety by looking at the 3D map display.
LifeLineLunchBox was launched early this year at an event in Hokkaido, where guests were able to see the smart boxes for themselves and test how the lunchbox’s GPS system interacts with the Trek Track 3D Map. The service was introduced up in the snowy mountains of Hokkaido’s Kiroro Ski Resort since the GPS service developer Hakuhodo i-studio is currently testing the technology around the Hokkaido area. This is the ideal location where a GPS trekking service like LifeLineLunchBox will be of most use to tourists and outdoor adventure seekers.
Junpei Kawasaki, a developer from Hakuhodo i-studio, explains that ‘LifeLineLunchBox is developed to let users experience both Japanese food culture and innovative safety technology at the same time.’ In short, each meal is prepared with high food quality standards, and users can fully enjoy their adventure knowing that their mountain activities are tracked to ensure a smooth and safe journey. Owner of Kiroro Ski Resort, Takashi Mori, also gave his approval to this new undertaking since LifeLineLunchBox is able to provide an additional support to their customers on top of the resort’s own safety rules and precautions. At Time Out Tokyo, we couldn't think of a better way to enjoy an adventure-packed journey without the stress of being in danger. On top of it all, it's a great way to experience a traditional Japanese bento meal in the heart of nature.
Are you going on an outdoor trekking trip? Keep an eye out for the official launch of LifeLineLunchBox and subscribe to the service for a worry-free adventure. Try the lunchbox out for yourself next winter at select ski resorts in Hokkaido or Hakuba as LifeLineLunchBox is set to host further events to try out the service.
For more information visit lifelinelunchbox.com.