On the eve of the Tokyo Olympics, Japan's largest public foundation, the Nippon Foundation, and Shibuya Ward jointly launched the "The Tokyo Toilet" project, inviting architects such as Tadao Ando, Kengo Kuma, Toyo Ito, and Fumihiko Tarushi to invest about 700 million yen to renovate 17 public toilets on the streets.
「The Tokyo Toilet」地点分布，来自官网截图
After these public toilets were put into place, they became roadside scenery scattered throughout Shibuya. Recently, with the official publication of the book of the same name, "The Tokyo Toilet Book", it also means that the "Japanese Public Toilet Project" that has been launched since 2020 has finally been completed.
As part of the project, German director Wim Wenders wrote the script and directed the film "Perfect Day", which took only 17 days to shoot and a 123-minute run, which premiered on May 26, 2023 in the main competition unit of the 76th Cannes Film Festival, and Hiroshi Yakusho won the fifth Asian Best Actor in Cannes.
Make a movie about the daily routine of the toilet
In the early morning, when the sky is still dark in Tokyo, Hirayama, played by Hiroshi Yakusho, is guided by the Skytree to his workplace. In his worn-out but clean van, there were sometimes The animals, sometimes Patti Smith's cassette.
When the rock 'n' roll spirit of the 80s faded into the sun, he began his day's work – cleaning the public toilets.
A still from the movie "Perfect Day".
He has a whole set of practical tools for dealing with different stains, as well as his own cleaning order. When his colleague Takashi is unable to find an identity in this job, Hirayama, who has the ability to get a better job, finds occasional happiness in this unchanging life and balances the pace from it.
On Hirayama's navy blue uniform, the words "The Tokyo Toilet" are prominently written. He recycles through the works of this project every day, such as the Nabeshima Matto Park public toilet designed by Kengo Kuma, the Yoyogi Fukacho Small Park public toilet designed by Shigeru Ban, the Jingu-dori Park public toilet designed by Tadao Ando, and the Yoyogi Hachiman Park public toilet designed by Toyoo Ito.
Yoyogi Hachiman public toilet designed by Toyoo Ito. Address: Yoyogi Hachiman 5-1-2 Yoyogi. Photo: Liuzhi
Wim often presents things without editing in the language of a straightforward camera, like a dispassionate social observer. At the same time, he was a big fan of Yasujiro Ozu, who traveled to Tokyo in the '80s to relive Ozu's life and shoot the documentary "Looking for Ozu" – and what he loved about Ozu was because Ozu "allows things to retain their original identity when they photograph something".
After learning about the project, Wenders said, "I love the photos I see, they capture a lot of architectural marvels. The buildings are more like temples that guard cleanliness than toilets. ”
Collect the Tokyo toilet project of the master builder
As a result of the evaluation of "a temple that guards cleanliness and hygiene", "The Tokyo Toilet" is not a one-size-fits-all public toilet.
In the movie, Hirayama is cleaning the public toilet in Yoyogi Fukamachi Kokucho designed by Shigeru Saka when he meets a foreign tourist. When the other party expressed confusion, he hurriedly showed how to use it.
Shigeru Ban designed a public toilet in Yoyogi Fukamachi Small Park. Address: Yoyogi Fukacho Mini Park 1-54-1 Tomiya. Photo: Liuzhi
This is a "transparent toilet" that has caused a lot of discussion.
Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, who won the Pritzker Prize in 2014, designed the toilet using a very special film and electrifying it. When the door is not locked, the building as a whole will be transparent, and the state of the interior will be unobstructed; When someone enters the toilet and locks the door, the glass immediately turns opaque, protecting the user's privacy.
The coloured glass wall design makes this public toilet feel like a different space in the city. Especially at night, the vitreous glows brightly and softly, allowing people who need it to find it quickly.
A public toilet in Jingu-dori Park designed by Tadao Ando. Address: Jingu-dori Park 6-22-8 Jingumae. Photo by Nacása & Partners Inc.
The niece came to Pingshan, and Pingshan took him to his workplace. The niece offered to help her uncle share part of the work. This one is the Jingu-dori Park public toilet designed by Tadao Ando.
Sketch of a public toilet in Jingu-dori Park. Image from tokyotoilet.jp
This public toilet is named "あまやどり" (shelter from the rain), and in the movie, the scene also takes place on an uneventful rainy day in Tokyo. Tadao Ando believes that public toilets should also take on the responsibility of pavilions, providing people with space under the eaves to shelter from the rain and shade the sun. Therefore, he designed a wide inner and outer corridor for the public toilets, and the walls were designed in the form of a fence to ventilate the inside and outside.
Since the launch of "The Tokyo Toilet" project, many people have embarked on a "public toilet tour" journey in Tokyo. Just this year, local tour groups have introduced paid bus tours of public toilets – which may sound strange, but it's a great opportunity to learn more about the local culture.
Toilets, Japan's unique spiritual culture
The concept of toilets in Japan has not always been so advanced.
Until around the 8th century, the Japanese went to the toilet along the river, allowing the excrement to be washed away by the river. After the Kamakura shogunate encouraged double cropping of wheat in the Edo period, manure was considered a nutritious fertilizer, which led to the creation of toilets to collect them.
A public toilet in Higashi-3-chome designed by Naho Tamura. Address: Higashi-3-chome 3-27-1 East. Photo by SS Co., Ltd. Hiroko Hojo
The "squatting pit" we are familiar with only became popular hundreds of years later in the Warring States period, but how to transport the manure out of the city in time was still a problem at this time.
Even if the technical conditions are poor, we can still see the Japanese people's obsession with toilets. Legend has it that Toyotomi Hideyoshi's toilets were quite luxurious, not only made of gold, but also finely carved; The war general Takeda Shingen has a large toilet of 10 square meters, in which he burns incense and reads books every day, and even studies the art of war. Perhaps this is why in the Warring States period, the toilet had the nickname "Kanegakushi".
A public toilet designed by Sou Fujimoto on Nishisando. Address: Nishisando 3-27-1 Yoyogi. Photo: Liuzhi
For the Japanese, the sanctity of the toilet is also a blessing of religious beliefs.
Legend has it that Zen Master Dou Mingjue, a famous monk in the Song Dynasty of China, cleaned the toilet in Lingyin Temple, and Zen Master Xuefeng Yicun also had some insights when cleaning the toilet, so the toilet is also called "Xueyin". This legend was digested by the Japanese, so the toilets located in the north were called "Yukikure" (the toilets in the east and west were called Toji, Nishiki, and Dengji, respectively). And the god of toilets in Japan is also known as the "Snow Hidden God".
The Sasazuka Greenway public toilet designed by Junko Kobayashi. Address: Sasazuka Greenway 1-29 Sasazuka in Shibuya-ku. Photo: Liuzhi
While we take it for granted that the god of toilets only shelters the existence of toilets, in fact, in the traditional Japanese cultural system, it is also in charge of family fertility, illness and health, wealth, fortune, etc.
"In the village of Hoshino in Wuzhou, they make red bean rice and offer it to the god of toilet guards and brooms in order to have a smooth birth...... In some places, it is believed that if a woman cleans the toilet, she will receive the blessing of the toilet god, and not only will she be beautiful, but the child she will also give birth to will be beautiful and beautiful. ”
It is not difficult to understand why Junichiro Tanizaki went to great lengths about Japanese toilets in "In Praise of the Shadows", "The living room has its own charm, but the Japanese toilet is the real place of spiritual rest." He believes that toilets are the most elegant places in Japanese homes, and that it is best to be dimly lit and spotless, and that many haiku should be inspired by toilets.
Standards, environmental protection and humanistic care
Of course, the Japanese of ancient times, Junichiro Tanizaki, and the Japanese of today have lived in completely different eras. If at that time, Junichiro Tanizaki only pinned his wandering feelings in a narrow space, then today, the need for clean, humanized toilets is embedded in the soul of the Japanese people.
Because of its unique historical significance, many toilet appliance manufacturers in Japan established the "Japan Toilet Industry Association" in 2015. This association was formed by the merger of the Japan Sanitary Ware Industry Association, which was established in 1948, and the Warm Water Toilet Seat Association, which was established in 2001.
The association came up with the concept of "toilets save the planet". Until around 1996, the amount of toilet flushing in Japan was 13 liters, 10 liters in 1997, and 8 liters in 2000. In addition, since 2006, water-saving toilets with a capacity of less than 6 liters have appeared, and in 2008, they became the mainstream toilet products on the market.
According to the Japan Toilet Industry Association, many households still use 13-liter toilets, but if you switch to 6 liters, you will not only reduce water consumption - for a family of four, you can save about 45,260 liters of water per year, which also means that you can save about 12,000 yen per year on your water bill.
Nishihara Itchome Park public toilet designed by Takenosuke Sakakura. Address: Nishihara-Itchome Park 1-29-1 Nishihara. Photo: Liuzhi
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications as of August 1, 2021, a quarter of the population in Japan is over the age of 65. The Japan Toilet Industry Association has put forward four suggestions for the renovation of residential toilets in an aging society:
1. Facilitate movement and prevent falls. Eliminate the steps at the entrance to the toilet, replace the toilet with a Western-style toilet, and install handrails.
2. Choose a spacious toilet to facilitate access to assistive devices such as crutches and wheelchairs. It is recommended to bend over from the side to assist with a space of 500 mm and more next to the toilet.
3. Install handrails on the side of the toilet and sink. Vertical armrests provide support for standing and sitting, while horizontal armrests provide stability for walking.
4. Smart toilet seats are important. Even if you can't take a bath every day due to your physical condition, if you have a toilet seat with a warm bidet, you can keep your private parts clean and reduce illness.
Kengo Kuma's design of the Nabeshima Shoto Park public toilet. Address: Nabeshima Shoto Park 2-10-7 Double knife. Photo: Liuzhi
In addition to strict standards for the material, quality, and water-saving measures of toilets, toilets, sinks, and other facilities, the Japan Toilet Manufacturers Association also pays special attention to the convenience of public toilets for the elderly, the disabled, young children, and those with infants.
The association believes that excretion is a fundamental human behavior, regardless of age or disability, at home or on the road. Therefore, creating public toilets that can be comfortably used by anyone is an important factor in expanding the range of activities for everyone, including the elderly and people with disabilities.
The interior of the Sasazuka Greenway public toilet designed by Junko Kobayashi. Photo: Liuzhi. Image from tokyotoilet.jp
For wheelchair users, it is important to create spaces that can be unobstructed, and there are also handrails to support transfer from the wheelchair to the toilet, as well as a stable sitting position with a backrest. If a person with a physical condition that has difficulty maintaining a sitting balance needs assistance with dressing and undressing, a queen-size bed is installed to reduce the burden on the caregiver.
For people with ostomy facilities, set up urinals where you can stand to defecate, as well as platforms for storing abdominal care products and ostomy appliances and hooks for hanging luggage and garbage bags.
For those travelling with infants, build a large separate toilet that can accommodate a stroller, and set up a baby chair and changing table.
Even ordinary toilets need to be used by the elderly and visually impaired people with inconvenient legs and feet, unstable movements, etc., so as to avoid problems such as not knowing how to flush or pressing the flush button by mistake.
There is also an increasing demand for unisex toilets for children of the opposite sex (e.g. fathers with girls), elderly people who need assistance from the opposite sex (elderly couples), and sexual minorities (transgender people).
Kazoo Sato/Subvert Lab designed the public toilet in Shichiko-dori Park. Address: Qizitong Park Qigu 2-53-5. Photo: Liuzhi
Today we will also see some interesting news about Japanese toilets: toilets designed as aquariums, toilets like Japanese gardens, toilets where you can sing karaoke, and gallery toilets where artworks are displayed...... The toilet lives up to Junichiro Tanizaki's expectations, and in the 21st century, it has truly become a resort for human beings to "purify the spirit": after all, the founders of the two giants, Panasonic and Honda, have legends about cleaning toilets for the company.
Not only special public toilets such as "The Tokyo Toilet", but also public toilets in Japanese restaurants, shopping malls, and public toilets on street corners provide fully functional smart toilets, all the cleaning tools imaginable, and many of them have music playback functions - both to soothe the user's body and mind, and to avoid embarrassment for the neighbors.
Since everyone's spiritual world is different, why bother with the toilet just one thing? After all, for contemporary people, closing the door and leaving only their own toilet is not only an outlet for physiological needs, but also a rare world where they can remove their disguise, a room of their own.
作者：siri110 编辑：李大猫 监制：Algae
Except for stills, the pictures are all from tokyotoilet.jp