An umbrella-sharing service called iKasa launched in Tokyo last year.

Umbrella rental service

The service is available at several locations in Tokyo, including the Shibuya area.

According to a report by Time Out Tokyo, the service requires a user to download a LINE app, iKasa, in order to rent an umbrella.

A map within the app will show the iKasa umbrella sharing spots closest to one's location:

All one needs to do is to pick an umbrella from one of the stations and scan the QR code to check it out.

The umbrellas can be rented for ¥70 per day (S$0.85) via a credit card tagged to the app. For that fee, users can check out and return umbrellas as many times as they want in the day.

The umbrellas are returned by scanning the QR code at a return stand.

In the event that a user forgets to return an umbrella, he or she will be charged for the extra days, but only up until the seventh day, incurring a total cost of ¥420 (S$5).

At that point, the umbrella basically belongs to the user since they will not be charged beyond that amount.

According to a Guangming Daily, however, the system reportedly has a 100 per cent return rate, meaning that all borrowed umbrellas have been returned to a station.

Cool.

Top photo composite image via FB/IkasaJapan.