Photo/Illutration The Samlife anti-flooding shelter at a port in Shizuoka’s Shimizu Ward on Oct. 30 (Takefumi Horinouchi)

SHIZUOKA--A white, roundish object marked with a red silhouette of a samurai drew some curious looks as it floated on gentle waves under clear skies at Orido Bay here on Oct. 30.

But the buoyant vessel is designed to withstand far more extreme weather conditions, and it could provide residents the very last chance for survival during natural disasters.

The Samlife anti-flood shelter, made from foam polystyrene, was developed by Onoda Sangyo, a housing maker here.

Measuring 3.3 meters long, 3.2 meters wide and 2.3 meters tall, Samlife has an elliptic cylindrical space that can accommodate nine adults, leaving a bit of room between each passenger.

The shelter has two windows on its sides, as well as two escape hatches installed on its top, allowing users to flee if the front door does not open.

The interior features a couch along the wall and a table at the center.

On Oct. 30, during a demonstration ride in Shimizu Ward, the inhabitable float was pulled by a ship.

The shelter pitched less drastically than expected, according to the passengers, adding that it felt like they were riding in a small boat.

Although Samlife was sometimes pushed far by the waves after it stopped, no water leaks or other dangers were reported during its two-hour round trip that started and ended in the Okitsu district.

Onoda Sangyo, which designs residences highly resistant to natural disasters, started creating waterproof shelters in 2016 and began selling them last year. Earlier this year, a larger one that holds up to 15 people was released.

An eight-passenger shelter sells for 1.5 million yen ($13,800) while the 15-passenger model is priced at 2.5 million yen.

Samlife officials say that if residents cannot reach evacuation centers or higher ground during a tsunami or other flooding, they can climb aboard the shelter as “a last resort” for survival.

Food and water can be stored under the couch, enabling a family of four to live on the emergency stock for one week, according to Onoda Sangyo. Before the supplies run out, the passengers will hopefully have been rescued or the floodwaters have receded.

“It is best to flee to safety, but if one cannot escape and is put in danger at home, the shelter will offer greater safety and a higher chance of survival than staying inside the house,” said Shinya Takigawa, a project leader at Onoda Sangyo.

So far, 10 units have been sold to individuals and corporations with residences or offices near the sea.

HIGH BUOYANCY, SHOCK RESISTANT

Noncombustible foam polystyrene was used in Samlife to ensure a high buoyancy force. A 3-millimeter layer of a special polyurea resin was applied to the surface to provide further strength.

Foam polystyrene also prevents heat from being lost, making the shelter comfortable on both hot and cold days, according to Onoda Sangyo representatives.

This characteristic enables Samlife to be used as a “cottage” in a yard during normal times.

The durability of Samlife was also tested on Oct. 30.

A 900-kg minivehicle was lifted with a crane and dropped on the shelter from a height of 10 meters. The shelter’s body was dented temporarily by the impact, but it quickly pushed back the car.

Although the shock opened the door and broke a window, no deformations were found on the exterior and interior of Samlife.

“The test showed the shelter is significantly strong,” said Ryosaku Onoda, president of Onoda Sangyo. “We will make it much tougher and far more resistant to fire.”

The Disaster Prevention Safety Association has designated Samlife as a “recommendable anti-disaster item.”

Hiroshi Kitamura, secretary-general of the association, said private businesses began aggressively developing anti-flood shelters after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.

“Companies have demonstrated their products’ strength and ability to float, but none have reportedly been used in actual disasters, meaning that we cannot say that such shelters are totally safe,” Kitamura said. “But they may prove helpful in emergencies if they are introduced as a means of survival.”