Daikin recreates the air of Japanese Highlands at Expo 2025 Osaka

Brussels, 20 September 2024 – Daikin is set to introduce its groundbreaking HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) technology to create an atmosphere reminiscent of the Japanese highlands inside SUIKUU, a new restaurant by Suntory Holdings Limited, planned for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. This initiative will offer visitors a unique sensory dining experience by leveraging Daikin's advanced air conditioning technology to replicate the refreshing, clean air of Japan's mountain regions.

SUIKUU will be operated in collaboration with Suntory as part of a joint exhibit alongside Daikin at Expo 2025, a true spectacle of air and water “Under the Midnight Rainbow”. The restaurant will be located in the West Building, a commercial space within the Water Plaza area, offering views of both sea and sky. By combining the concept of a "restaurant in the Japanese highlands” with its prime waterfront location, SUIKUU aims to create a unique experience where guests can enjoy the sensation of dining in the mountains, all while remaining close to the ocean.

To make this happen, the restaurant will use Daikin’s unique "ceiling-supplied displacement ventilation air conditioning" system, which not only provides superior air purification, but also carefully controls temperature, humidity, and airflow. This system replicates the fresh, invigorating air of the mountains, ensuring that guests enjoy a safe and serene dining environment. When combined with multisensory stimulation technology from the University of Tokyo - designed to engage all five senses through visual and auditory cues - and Osaka University's generative AI, the dining experience is quite literally elevated to new heights.

As a company dedicated to “perfecting the air”, Daikin sees Expo 2025 Osaka as the ideal platform to showcase its pioneering technology. The aim is to provide a glimpse into the future of dining spaces, where visitors from around the world can experience safe and comfortable environments enhanced by advanced air quality technologies.  

Ceiling-supplied displacement ventilation air conditioning is an innovative approach where air, adjusted to a comfortable temperature, is released from the ceiling at a low velocity, descending slowly to the floor. Meanwhile, air containing particulate matters, such as viruses, pollen and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are efficiently directed upwards toward the ceiling and expelled, providing a cool and comfortable environment without the disruptive cross drafts commonly associated with traditional air conditioning. 

The system is further enhanced with two high-performance filters achieving a purification level equivalent to five times the ventilation capacity of a typical office environment. Additionally, multiple indoor air quality (IAQ) sensors are installed to ensure that the restaurant’s air environment meets the stringent ASHRAE62.1 and EN standards.

At the restaurant entrance, an IAQ monitor displays real-time air quality conditions - including temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels - providing guests with visible assurance of the safety and quality of the indoor environment.

The “Dining That Travels Through Air" concept merges precise air conditioning control with visual and auditory stimuli to create a unique dining experience in a private room. Daikin’s expertise in temperature, humidity, and airflow control is combined with the University of Tokyo’s cross-modal audiovisual technology, allowing guests to experience an environment that mirrors a natural scene. High-resolution images of highlands and grasslands are projected onto the room's walls, paired with synchronized air and soundscapes that evoke the sensation of dining in an outdoor setting. 

The “Thermometer of the Future” is an innovative technology co-developed with Osaka University to visualise air environments. By using generative AI, this technology transforms various environmental factors, including season, time, weather, and both indoor and outdoor temperatures and humidity, into expressive paintings. As environmental conditions, like temperature and CO2 levels, change, so too do the generative AI-created paintings. 

This is how Daikin and Suntory Holdings offer a glimpse into the future of dining experiences, where air quality and comfort are elevated to unprecedented levels. The integration of cutting-edge air purification systems, multisensory stimulation, and generative AI technologies promises visitors a dining environment that is not only safe and comfortable but also uniquely immersive. As Daikin continues to push the boundaries of air conditioning technology, SUIKUU stands as a testament to the possibilities of enhancing everyday experiences through advanced environmental control. 

• Business Dates: From April 13, 2025 (Sunday) to October 13, 2025 (Monday)

• Business Hours: 10:00-21:00 

• Location: Water Plaza West Building, 2nd Floor

• Seating: Approx. 190 

• Floor Area: Approx. 750 m²

• Managing Company: DYNAC CORPORATION (a member of Suntory Holdings Group)