For an unexpected toilet experience, check out the new bathrooms from The Tokyo Toilet Project, in downtown Shibuya.
Japan is notorious for its advanced toilet technology, and the wacky Japanese bathrooms found in places like the Shinjuku Robot Restaurant and Nasu Trick Art Museum are basically tourist attractions in and of themselves. But not all public bathrooms in Japan are so glamorousーsquat toilets were the standard until quite recently, and some bathrooms found in places like public parks can be just as old, dark, and dirty as anywhere else in the world.
Fortunately, a group of artists have gotten together to transform 17 of those old public bathrooms over the next year or so, turning them into surprisingly practical toilet art around Shibuya! The first of these to open are the unconventional designs by architect Shigeru Ban: bathrooms with entirely see-through walls.
According to the designer, making the walls transparent was the most logical step to take. He explains that "there are two things we worry about when entering a public restroom, especially those located at a park. The first is cleanliness, and the second is whether anyone is inside." And it's trueーwith these walls, passersby can clearly see that the bathrooms are clean and ready to use.
But what about when you'd like a little bit of privacy? Well, fortunately, they've figured that out too. When you're ready to actually use the bathroom, the walls go opaque, triggered by the lock on the door.
Shigeru Ban's see-through bathrooms are found in two locations, the Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park and the Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park, and will no-doubt both attract plenty of people interested in seeing (and trying out) the beautifully designed bathrooms.
The Tokyo Toilet Project, however, goes much farther than these two locations. Fifteen other artists and designers are in the process of putting together 15 other Shibuya public toilets, and some of the creators involved have made a name for themselves outside of Japan as well. Clothing designer Nigo has already released uniform designs for future maintenance workers, and popular architect Kengo Kuma (famous for structures all over Japan) will be designing one of the bathrooms due to open in 2021.
Not quite as immediately shocking as the see-through walls designed by Shigeru Ban, this maze-like "ambiguous space" in Ebisu Park is designed by Masamichi Katayama, and built to reflect the ancient Japanese outhouses built over rivers called "kawaya." It's the only other Tokyo Toilet Project bathroom already open for summer 2020. "The design," Katayama explains, "creates a unique relationship in which users are invited to interact with the facility as if they are playing with a curious piece of playground equipment."
With the other 14 toilets under construction or headed in that direction, we look forward to seeing these unique contemporary art pieces popping up around Shibuya, sure to give people clean and… unique bathroom experiences while they explore Tokyo.
For more details of The Tokyo Toilet Project, check out their official website, and for more updates and info from Japan, follow Japankuru on twitter, instagram, and facebook!
PROFILE
The latest news from Japan - learn what's new in the land of the rising sun, from an international group right on the scene.
COMMENT
FEATURED MEDIA
VIEW MORENarita Airport Tax-Free Shopping List 나리타공항 면세점 쇼핑 리스트 #pr #calbee #jagapokkuru #japanesesnacks #japanesefood #japanesesouvenir #japantravel #japantrip #naritaairport #hokkaido #나리타국제공항 #나리타공항면세점 #나리타공항면세점과자 #일본공항면세점 #일본기념품쇼핑리스트추천 #공항면세점쇼핑리스트 #일본과자추천 #면세점일본과자 #일본기념품추천 #일본과자 #자가폿쿠루 #일본간식 #일본과자쇼핑 #일본면세점필수템 #일본기념품쇼핑
Asakusa's Sanja Matsuri, one of the biggest festivals in all of Tokyo, is almost here! Make sure you check out the festival route so you don't miss all the festivities this May. #asakusa #sanjafestival #sanjamatsuri #asakusashrine #sensoji #sensojitemple #japanesefestival #shintoshrine #japaneseculture #tokyo #tokyotrip #tokyotravel #asakusasightseeing #matsuri #japantrip #japantravel #springinjapan #tokyotravel #japankuru #산자마츠리 #아사쿠사 #일본마츠리 #일본여행 #일본5월
Odaiba's DiverCity Tokyo Plaza is home to the famous real-size 20m-tall Unicorn Gundam, and the popular shopping center has even more Gundam on the inside! Check out the Gundam Base Tokyo on the 7th floor for shelves upon shelves of Gunpla, and the Gundam Base Tokyo Annex on the 2nd floor for cool anime merchandise. Both shops have tons of limited-edition items! #pr #odaiba #tokyo #tokyotrip #japantrip #japantravel #PR #divercity #divercitytokyoplaza #tokyoshopping #gundam #unicorngundam #gundambasetokyo #anime #otaku #gunpla #japankuru #오다이바 #다이바시티도쿄 #오다이바건담 #건담 #일본건담 #건프라 #건담베이스도쿄
Evangelion, in miniature!? Tokyo's SMALL WORLDS Miniature Museum is actually a must-see for anime lovers, thanks to the tiny Evangelion Hangar and Tokyo-III... plus a whole universe of other scenes both real and fictional. #smallworlds #smallworldstokyo #tokyotrip #tokyotravel #evangelion #eva #anime #miniature #miniatures #animefigure #japantrip #japantravel #에반게리온 #스몰월드 #에반겔리온 #スモールワールズ #오다이바 #아리아케
Have you sat down for a snack at Sumida Aquarium yet? This aquarium next to Tokyo Skytree is known for its penguins and garden eels, but we can't get enough of their cute snacks! There are lots of good seats around the aquarium, too, so it almost feels like one big cafe. 🐧 • Find out more at Japankuru.com! (Link in bio.) • #japankuru #sumidaaquarium #skytree #tokyoskytree #solamachi #sumida #tokyo #tokyotrip #tokyotravel #aquarium #japanesesweets #themecafe #すみだ水族館 #Japan #日本 #일본 #Japon #ญี่ปุ่น #Japão #япония #japantravel #日本旅行 #日本旅遊 #japan_of_insta #japantrip #traveljapan #japan🇯🇵 #igerstokyo #explorejapan
For anime fans, the Evangelion areas at Small Worlds Miniature Museum are a must see! The tiny miniature people in the Evangelion Hangar look like ants beneath the moving Unit-01, Unit-00, and Unit-02! And over in Tokyo-III, characters like Shinji, Rei, and Katsuragi live life on a miniature scale. #odaiba #tokyo #tokyotrip #japantrip #japantravel #ariake #smallworlds #miniaturemuseum #smallworldstokyo #tokyotravel #evangelion #eva #anime #miniature #miniatures #animefigure #japankuru #스몰월드 #에반게리온 #오다이바 #오다이바관광 #오다이바스몰월드 #미니어쳐