At three 7-Eleven stores in Niigata Prefecture, a simple sign asking people to come inside and cool off has struck a chord online.
The notices appeared at stores owned by 63-year-old franchise operator Tatsuya Takahashi in several cities in western Japan. They told customers, “If you feel unwell and think it may be heatstroke, please don’t push yourself, come inside and cool off.”
The sign added, “There is no need to purchase anything out of courtesy. Please focus solely on recovering your strength.”
The words were not originally written by Mr Takahashi. He adopted them after seeing a similar notice online during last year’s hot summer, when he was thinking about what he could do to help his community.
The first viral post of the notice appeared on X, where half a million people liked it. Overseas accounts also shared translated versions.
When summer gave way to winter, Mr Takahashi replaced the signs with new ones for the cold. The winter notice read, “You must be tired of driving on snowy roads. Then, please don’t hesitate to come inside and warm up,” again telling people they did not need to buy anything.
It ended with the words, “We pray for your safety”.
The response was especially strong at the Ozumi Parking Area near Nagaoka, an area known for heavy snowfall where truck drivers often sleep in their cabs.
According to the Mainichi Shimbun, Mr Takahashi said his goal was to “pay forward” the kindness he received while travelling a decade ago.
After suffering heatstroke, he took shelter in a restaurant, where the owners looked after him until he recovered. He said he never forgot being given cold water and being led to the coolest seat, and hoped others could also recover at one of his convenience stores.
“Even small acts of kindness can come full circle,” Takahashi told the paper.
Inspired by the signs, 7-Eleven Japan later launched a “cool share” campaign at stores around the country, inviting people to come in and cool off.
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