Remember when the Tokyo 2020 Olympics were going to be the biggest attraction in Japan? Yeah, us neither. The postponing of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics feels like eons ago and there's a new tourist sight in town: Tokyo's transparent toilets.
Before you jump to any rash conclusions regarding transparent public toilets in the middle of Tokyo, allow us to explain. Yes, Japan is home to many natural wonders, like the towering Mount Fuji and the stunning cherry blossoms that bloom every spring, but now the land of the rising sun is breaking down the perception of public toilets with this new project.
The Nippon Foundation recently launched the Tokyo Toilet Project in hopes to break down the negative assumptions associated with public toilets. Japan has a reputation of being one of the cleanest cities in the world, but public facilities are often thought to be unclean, dark and even scary. And no one wants that when they need a wee.
The major concerns with public toilets, especially those located in busy parks, is whether they are clean and if someone is inside. To combat these concerns, the creators have made a new technology that allows the transparent outer walls to become opaque once the door is locked. At night, Tokyo's transparent toilets light up and glow like lanterns in the park.
The Nippon Foundation is renovating 17 public toilets located throughout Tokyo's Shibuya district. Each location has advanced design, frequent maintenance and a little imagination to make them accessible for everyone and to foster a more inclusive and understanding society especially when it comes to, ermm, toilet talk.
The two sets of transparent toilets are located in Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park and Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park.
We already knew bathroom selfies were a thing, but the response around these transparent toilets has been unexpectedly well-received with people crowding around to get a picture and to experience the toilets for themselves.
To learn more about the Tokyo Toilet Project, click here.
