This audio is generated by AI, so pronunciation and expressions may not be fully accurate. The narration is only in English.
The story of Magic Shields begins far from healthcare. Founder and CEO Shimomura Hiroshi spent part of his early career as an engineer at Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd, working with off-road racing teams. In that world, crashes were expected, and engineering solutions had to protect riders from serious harm. "In motocross, riders fall constantly," Shimomura says. "You have to design the bikes so they break in the right way, to protect the rider."
That experience shaped how he thought about force, impact, and safety. Years later, as he explored inventions ranging from experimental motorcycles to disaster-response shields, Shimomura found himself drawn to a growing crisis in Japanese society: fall-related injuries among older adults. Falls, he stresses, are not minor accidents but turning points in people's lives. "Every year in Japan over 10 million older adults fall, and about 600,000 suffer fractures. If you're unlucky, a single fall can have lasting consequences, including becoming bedridden," Shimomura said. "That's something many people don't realize until it happens to someone close to them."
Inspired by traditional Japanese ingenuity, Shimomura turned to ninja culture for ideas. The weight-distribution principle behind mizugumo—water shoes that allowed ninjas to walk across swamps—helped shape the flooring's structural design. He also drew from the hidden features of a ninja yashiki, or ninja house, where seemingly ordinary interiors concealed protective tricks. "We want homes to feel bright and comfortable, but when an accident happens, the floor itself protects you—like a hidden safeguard," he explained.
This inspiration later carried over into how Magic Shields presents its technology. At SusHi Tech Tokyo 2025, the company staged a ninja-themed performance that brought these hidden principles to life, linking centuries-old ingenuity with modern materials science.
By 2019, he had founded Magic Shields with this philosophy at its core. The company's flagship flooring, branded Magic Shields Floor and Mat in Japan, went on to win recognition from the Good Design Award, Microsoft for Startups, and Japan's J-Startup program—achievements that underscored how tradition and cutting-edge science could combine to tackle one of society's most urgent health challenges.
The result of years of research and development, the company's flooring system is designed to cushion falls only at the moment of impact—allowing users to walk, roll, or stand freely without noticing any difference during normal movement underfoot. Clinical research conducted with Fujita Health University and Nagoya University confirmed the technology's promise. "Our data indicate that compliant mechanical-metamaterial flooring can reduce impact forces to the femur by about 43 percent compared with carpet tiles with shock-absorbing properties, without affecting gait or balance," Shimomura said.
Today, over 1,000 hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers in Japan and abroad use Magic Shields products. Feedback has been striking. "Facilities tell us fractures go down to zero," said Shimomura. "For nurses, that means less strain. For families, it means peace of mind. For administrators, it means lower costs."
At SusHi Tech Tokyo 2025, the ninja performance also highlighted the technology's ability to surprise and persuade. Crowds gathered at the booth to watch acrobatics on what looked like an ordinary floor, then discovered for themselves that the surface could absorb impact instantly. "At first, people didn't notice anything because the product is literally under their feet," Shimomura said with a laugh. "But once they tried it, they understood immediately. Everyone knows someone who has fallen—it connects right away."
Although Magic Shields is based in Shizuoka Prefecture in central Japan, Tokyo is essential to its growth. "This city has one of the highest densities of older adults in the world," Shimomura noted. "If we can reduce fractures here, we can show the world what is possible."
The company has already expanded internationally. In North Carolina, a U.S. office tailors products to local standards, while distributors in Europe and Asia bring the technology to facilities in Spain, Switzerland, and Singapore. "The U.S. is our biggest opportunity," Shimomura said. "Hospitals are larger, and the financial benefit of preventing injuries is enormous."
Events like SusHi Tech Tokyo help accelerate this global outreach. "Compared to overseas expos, having a stage of this scale in Tokyo saves time and money," Shimomura explained. "We've met international partners here who continue to work with us years later. It shows the importance of a global platform in Tokyo."
While preventing fractures remains their core mission, Magic Shields is also exploring sensor integration to transform flooring into a source of valuable data. At SusHi Tech Tokyo 2025, a playful prototype called the "ninja dog" barked when stepped on, illustrating how sensors embedded in the floor could detect movement.
"Our vision is to build a new layer of physical AI inside buildings," Shimomura explained. "Almost all of life happens indoors. If we can capture movement safely and privately, we can support healthcare, insurance, even urban planning."
Such ambitions reflect a shift from fall prevention to broader health monitoring and smart-city applications. For Shimomura, the impact goes beyond technology. "Everyone wants to walk to the bathroom by themselves, even at 90," he said. "If we can make that possible, we preserve dignity as well as safety."
Movie: Magic Shields
SusHi Tech Tokyo, short for Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo, is a Tokyo-based concept that leverages high technology to help create a sustainable city, delivering messages at home and abroad showcasing Tokyo's comprehensive attractiveness, and the challenges of resolving urban issues.SusHi Tech Tokyo | Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo
