The technology behind Zojirushi's Mahobin, all-star rep from Osaka's line-up of top-tier creations

The vacuum flask, or "mahobin" (literally "magic jar") as it's called in Japan, is an indispensable piece of consumer homeware. In fact, more mahobin are made in Osaka than anywhere else in Japan. What's more, it's right here in Osaka that the first domestic mahobin were made. Long ago, Osaka was the center of Japan's glass industry, and it's that fact that ties to the city's present position as the capital of domestic mahobin production.

The basic form of the vacuum flask was discovered by British scientist James Dewar, with the first successful domestic-use vacuum flask created by a German glassblower named Reinhold Burger. This form arrived to Japan in 1908 as an import from Germany, and the first domestically-produced mahobin vacuum flasks date to 1912. The lead region for Japan's glass industry at the time, Osaka's Tenma was home to countless skilled glass craftsmen, and many had also started getting involved with lightbulb production. As it happens, the vacuum technology needed for lightbulb production had much in common with the technology needed to produce the insulating vacuum space in mahobin. Given that, mahobin production soon took off in Osaka.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that nowadays every household in Japan has a mahobin vacuum flask in it somewhere. However, around the time production started booming in Osaka, the Japanese hardly used them at all: Instead, during that era the majority were sent overseas as exports. Most of the vacuum flasks made in Japan at the time were for export, and in 1937 during peak production only 10% were for the domestic market. They were primarily sent to Southeast Asia, where the poor quality of local drinking water made these mahobin a necessity for the many Europeans who came to inhabit the Western colonies in the region. The European colonists weren't able to import vacuum flasks from Europe owing to war, so when Westerners heard that Japan had begun producing mahobin, they began importing them from there, instead.

Japanese-made mahobin became treasured items in other nations, and export volumes increased. With that increase, a need arose among enterprises to make it easier for consumers to understand what sort of company you were and what kind of items you produced, allowing the sales process to go smoothly regardless of differences in language overseas. What came about from these deliberations was the "mark" ("maaku" in Japanese.) In a way, we can call this the progenitor for modern branding in Japan. It'd even be fair to say that if it weren't for the export of mahobin overseas, the elephant mascot of Zojirushi (whose name literally means "elephant-mark") would've never been created.

Entering into the post-war boom, exports decreased even as sales domestically were on the rise. However, up until now the company had continued to use hand-blown bottles to create mahobin. In light of increasing demand, automated bottle production became a crucial issue, so the company independently developed its own automatic bottle facilities. Successes in development allowed the mass manufacturing of consistently-sized bottles, leading to decreased prices and increased popularity across the whole nation.

Mahobin production was halted during WW II, and until the post-war restructuring of business and industry the popular items were portable and handheld vacuum flasks; the switchover to tabletop models called "pots" (like pot of tea, not pot of soup) didn't come until afterwards. It was around then that Zojirushi came out with the Pelican Pot. The name came from the resemblance the top of the flask had to a pelican's beak. Sales were excellent, and the product was popular enough to stay on the market from 1948 to 1956. The Pelican Pot's design imitated European-style carafes and water pitchers, but management at the time wasn't even remotely satisfied with simply selling an imitation, regardless of how successful it might've been as a product.

The next big hit came in 1967 with their floral print flask. It made a big splash with housewives, who were delighted to add a little festiveness to their drab kitchen tables. It was around this time that Zojirushi took its place at number one for mahobin production in Japan. On a note, did you know that floral print sells well during times of economic stagnation but falls off during bubble boom economies? When the world starts to feel like a dark and dreary place, people want to bring in a little light, but what's really fascinating is that this psychology is reflected in something as minor as floral print patterns on flasks.
In 1973, the company began selling the AirPot Osu Dake ("osu dake" means "push-only"), which as the name suggests allows users to simply push to get hot water: no lifting, no tilting.

Later in 1983, sales began on the Osu Dake Pot Mieru, where the water level was visible at a glance ("mieru" means "to be visible.") This was also quite a popular offering. Though we take it for granted nowadays that we can check how much is left in a water boiler or coffee dispenser with just a glance, small steps like this one that a company takes to make life easier for customers are what create the convenience we enjoy every day. Really, you can't help but be impressed.

Following on the incredible popularity of the 1963 Hi-Pot Z models, Zojirushi continued to release hit products into the market, securing their position at the very apex of the industry. To think, this all started with that first tabletop mahobin flask. However, it's precisely this kind of corporate spirit, one that doesn't rest on its (high-selling) laurels but rises to the challenge of developing original design, that allowed Zojirushi Corporation to push to the peak of its industry. That business philosophy has been passed down the generations and is continued to this very day.

If vacuum technology was Zojirushi's flagship product, then it must be said that developing a cook-and-keep-warm rice cooker was a major game changer for the company. The glass mahobin used until then to keep rice warm had a number of fatal flaws: They didn't do a great job retaining heat, often smelled unpleasantly of old rice the next day, and, worst of all, were very fragile. With a foundation set on the novel idea of "use what's good," the company introduced their electric-assisted heat retention method into this context. The development of this new product was a provocation issued to the gargantuan appliance manufacturing industry and its powerful, well-established sales channels: For Zojirushi, it was the decision of a lifetime and a massive gamble. This boldness paid off and became the impetus for the company to transition to a comprehensive daily goods manufacturer involved in vacuum heat retention and other new enterprises.

The classic vacuum flask had a central bottle made of glass—it was both traditional and plain common sense. The reason is, at the time it was difficult to find another material that could match glass's performance as the central bottle in a mahobin. However, as mahobin technology matured, there was a growing need to make new developments and go beyond using glass as a material. Though the company tried to make a stainless steel vacuum flask, prices were astronomical in comparison with glass, and at the time it didn't spread. Also, there were fears that introducing a mahobin made of stainless steel into the market would disrupt sales of the company's own glass mahobin, so for the time being the idea was shelved. However, other companies were quick to switch over to stainless steel, which acted as Zojirushi's impetus to once again apply itself to the development of a high quality product. In 1981, the Stainless Thermos Toughboy was completed. The company expanded the product line, and though the vacuum chamber thickness was 3.5 mm at first, the introduction of a slit design shaved that down to 1.1 mm. With that, a more compact and lightweight item was achieved.
Carrying around a mahobin allows for the reduction of plastic bottle/paper cup waste and eliminates the carbon dioxide emissions resulting from disposal of that waste. Providing to the new, more ecology-oriented times in a world that's reconsidered the practicality of having your own beverage container, Zojirushi has been bolstered by the need for stainless steel mahobin and now counts that product series as cornerstone items.

Even among the Japanese products exported overseas (which are known globally for their exceptionally high quality), one that has a particularly high rate of export is mahobin. Though the era when most mahobin were produced for overseas export is long past, the need for vacuum flasks is still quite high in countries like Thailand and the nations of the Middle East. Rice cookers exported from Japan are also quite popular in China. Over in the States, Zojirushi's Thermal Gravity Beverage Dispenser (AY-AE and SY-AA models) was an update on the Mieru Pot Ichioshi (VYA model), an inverted mahobin characterized by its single-push coffee pour. This American model boasts brisk sales and is a common sight at self-serve coffee stands and coffee service setups in offices. For Japanese technology to make the leap over the ocean and be treasured by people across the world is a point of pride for the nation.

Zojirushi has developed from a maker of mahobin to one of appliances for everyday life and beyond: In fact, it now uses its vacuum technology in collaboration with other spheres. This technology goes beyond home appliances and can be leveraged in many different industrial domains. One of these is space exploration. The leap from the home to outer space may seem a bit drastic, but the connection lies with the development of a mahobin that can withstand the demands of outer space. You might ask yourself, "Is a vacuum bottle for space exploration really that special?" It really is. If you want to know how special, think of what a mahobin that can withstand 40 g of acceleration would be like. But 40 g (40 times Earth's gravity) isn't that much... is it? To give you an idea, when a jet fighter alights on a standard aircraft carrier, around 7 g of force is generated. Now imagine almost six times that force, and you'll understand exactly how harsh the environment is for which Zojirushi is producing mahobin.

Once you've had a look around the Mahobin Museum, make sure to head over to Osaka Tenman-gu Shrine and check out the memorial stone carved with the words, "The Birthplace of Glass."
When all is said and done, this really was where the mahobin got its start. Of course, once you've seen the memorial stone, stop in at the shrine and give your respects. Osaka Tenman-gu Shrine houses the spirit of the Heian noble Sugawara no Michizane (845 – 903), who was deified as the Japanese god of learning, Tenman. Beautiful, fragrant plum blossoms (a favorite of Michizane's) flower here in February, and the shrine is a popular place for students preparing for exams or company employees taking qualification tests to come and offer their prayers for success.
After visiting the shrine, make a stop at the nearby Tenman Tenjin Hanjotei, a variety theater dedicated to the Kamigata-style rakugo comedy of Osaka and Kyoto. Osaka is the home of comedy in Japan, so what could be better to do while in the city than go get caught up in some quality comedy?
If you want to do some shopping and grab some souvenirs, stop by Wadaman, the sesame seed company famous for their kingoma golden sesame. Their cozy little shop packs its shelves with all sorts of great finds, including oil made from precious Japanese-grown sesame and delicious sesame-based sweets and snacks. It's definitely a top recommendation!

Also, since you've made the trip out to the area, you'll definitely have to stop at Tenjimbashi-suji Shotengai, a covered shopping arcade filled with unique personality. As you'd expect for a shopping district that can boast the greatest straight-line length in Japan, there's an incredible number of shops here with great deals on both food and goods.
You'll find Japan's popular "one-coin" (that is, one ¥500 coin) deals here as well as boutiques that offer ¥100 limited-time sales.
One food item that's undergone a boom in Tenjimbashi-suji Shotengai lately is taiyaki, a classic Japanese treat where pancake-like batter is filled with red bean paste (or other fillings) and grilled to perfection in a fish-shaped mold.
While you're out shopping, be sure to stop at one of the taiyaki shops dotting the arcade and grab yourself a sweet, crispy, thin-skinned taiyaki pastry.