Feels good’: Osaka governor tests futuristic ‘human washing machine’ ahead of Expo

Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura, right, tests out the “human washing machine of the future” in Osaka’s Konohana Ward, March 23, 2025

Prior to the start of the World Expo in Osaka, reporters here on March 23 were given a preview of the “human washing machine of the future” set for exhibition, with Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura demonstrating how it is used.

Shown at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion, the device’s one-seated, egg-shaped capsule fills with water up to the user’s chest. Bathers are then cleaned by bubbles, and a shower also rinses them from above.

After that, warm air is blown to dry them off. Pleasant music and images are provided according to the user’s bodily status, including heartbeat, as measured by sensors.

Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura, right, is seen after trying out the “human washing machine of the future” in Osaka’s Konohana Ward

Yoshimura, wearing a wetsuit, tested the unit, and remarked, “It feels good.” Upon completion, he looked refreshed and wiped his slightly wet face and head with a towel.

After Sanyo Electric Co. wowed people with the original “human washing machine” at the 1970 Expo in Osaka Prefecture, water purifier manufacturer Science, based in the city of Osaka’s Yodogawa Ward, updated the project.

The concept was to not just automatically wash the body, but also soothe the soul.