Designer toilets: on the map of Tokyo's must-see attractions

J-STORIES ー Tokyo’s bustling Shibuya district, known for the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing, neon lights, fashion, and vibrant youth culture, is also home to an urban revolution transforming the public restroom. The Tokyo Toilet project, launched in 2018, has completed the installation of 17 uniquely designed restrooms, turning a simple necessity into an exploration of design, technology, and inclusivity.

Initiated by the Nippon Foundation and managed by Shibuya City, the project’s goal was ambitious: to change the way people think about public toilets. Designed to be accessible to everyone — regardless of gender, age, or ability — the restrooms are meant to offer comfort, dignity, and a sense of safety. To achieve this, the project enlisted 16 renowned architects and designers, including Kengo Kuma, Marc Newson, Shigeru Ban, and Tadao Ando, who brought their creativity and expertise to reimagine the public restroom as a space of social and architectural innovation.

At the heart of the Tokyo Toilet project are its bold and imaginative designs, which turn functional spaces into works of art. Among the standout designs are Shigeru Ban’s two toilets near Yoyogi Park, whose high-tech glass is transparent when they're unoccupied and opaque when they're in use, allowing users to easily tell if a toilet is available. Ban, known for his experimental use of paper, is also praised for bringing new, imaginative solutions to everyday spaces.

Kengo Kuma’s design for Nabeshima Shoto Park, dubbed a "toilet village," incorporates five wooden huts connected by a wooded path, offering a serene and natural atmosphere. Kuma’s use of local materials like cedar and cherry wood creates a warm, inviting space meant to foster community engagement.

Since 2022, when J-Stories first covered The Tokyo Toilet, the project has won three prestigious awards, including The One Show's Gold award for Spatial Design/Architecture in 2023. These accolades reflect the project's success in merging design with functionality, providing a model for future urban spaces.

As the Tokyo Toilet project transforms the public restroom experience, it also sets new standards for cleanliness. Maintaining the high hygienic standards required for such a forward-thinking project is no easy task. The Nippon Foundation has created a maintenance program that ensures cleanliness.

The maintenance protocol includes three routine cleanings a day, a monthly cleaning to remove stubborn stains, an annual deep cleaning of all areas, including hard-to-reach spots, and regular inspections to ensure comfort, safety, and performance.

When the Nippon Foundation handed over management of the 17 toilets to Shibuya in June 2023, city Mayor Ken Hasebe remarked, “We will continue our efforts to maintain these toilets in a clean condition and to raise awareness that everyone should use public toilets with care.”

The critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated film "Perfect Days," directed by German filmmaker Wim Wenders, uses the project to tell the story of a toilet cleaner named Hirayama. Kōji Yakusho, who played the main character, won the Best Actor Award at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. The movie was also nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards, making it the first film directed by a non-Japanese filmmaker to be nominated as the Japanese entry. The Tokyo Toilets are a major setting for the film, which touches on themes of simplicity, humanity, and human connection in a bustling metropolis. The film’s worldwide success has brought increased global recognition to Shibuya City’s ambitious project.

While the project’s high-tech glass panels provide a novel solution to privacy, they do require operational adjustments during the colder months. The transparent-to-opaque glass walls in the toilets at Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park and Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park — both located in Shibuya — are affected by seasonal temperature changes.

In colder weather, it takes longer for the glass to turn opaque. For this reason, starting in June 2023, the toilets remain opaque from mid-October to mid-May. Though not transparent during this period, the restrooms remain fully operational, providing a practical solution to seasonal temperature fluctuations.

For those eager to explore these innovative restrooms firsthand, The Tokyo Toilet Shuttle Tour was launched on March 1, 2024. Operated by ride-share company Nearme, the tour offers a chance to take in the world-class architecture across two distinct routes — an East Course with nine locations and a West Course with eight.

This immersive tour allows visitors to explore the innovative designs, learn about the project’s history, and see how these public restrooms have helped redefine the way cities can approach public spaces.

Written by Lucas Maltzman

Editing by Mark Goldsmith

Top Photo by Nippon Foundation

For inquiries regarding this article, please contact jstories@pacificbridge.jp

 Click here for the Japanese version of the article.