Tokyo now has transparent public toilets. Let us explain.
Public toilets around the globe have a reputation for being dirty and dangerous. Tokyo recently unveiled new restrooms in public parks that aim to address those concerns.
Cities in Japan flush bad image with upgraded public toilets
Municipalities are teaming up with corporations when carrying out renovations aimed at improving experience for tourists and families.
On a roll: The psychology behind coronavirus toilet paper panic
It's a scene that's become familiar around the world: from the U.S. to France to Australia, rows of empty supermarket shelves where toilet paper used to be, the result of coronavirus-induced panic buying. What exactly is it about the rolls of tissue that has caused ...
Japan's next restroom revolution? Phasing out squat toilets for Tokyo 2020
On southwestern Miyajima island, Hiroshima Prefecture, a short walk from one of the country's most famous ancient temple sites, there's a brand new attraction for tourists — a state-of-the art public toilet block nearly as big as a tennis court. The 183-square-meter facility — created ...
Itami airport to be first in Japan to offer toilets for dogs
Itami airport is set to become the first in Japan to offer toilets for exclusive use by dogs. The regional airport, which is also known as Osaka International Airport but straddles Osaka and Hyogo prefectures, decided to introduce the canine facility after receiving requests not ...
Colorful walls can 'blow away' toilet odor, Japanese study says
Using bathrooms can be an everyday nightmare for children attending Japan's public schools where the restroom is often considered dirty and smelly. But a professor in western Japan has come up with an eye-opening way to blow away the stench. Machiko Yamashita, a professor of environmental ...
Tokyo's Toshima Ward adds artistic touch to public lavatories to enhance user-friendliness
Dilemma: You are in a public park in Tokyo and you desperately need the toilet. You think about holding on until you can find a convenience store, but you realize time is against you. You accept your fate and approach the dimly lit lavatory with some ...
Half the world's schools lack clean water, toilets and hand-washing, experts warn
Nearly half the world's schools lack clean drinking water, toilets and hand-washing facilities, putting millions of children at risk of disease, experts warned Monday. Almost 900 million children have to contend with a lack of basic hygiene facilities during their education, putting their health at ...
Osaka lavatory signs do more harm than good, say members of LGBT community
Restroom signs for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people have drawn an unexpected backlash from sexual minorities in Japan. The city of Osaka put a rainbow-colored sticker representing sexual diversity on the doors of unisex multipurpose restrooms in municipal government buildings in hopes of making ...
Japan has been working to convert its traditional squat toilets to Western-style commodes to accommodate the growing influx of foreign tourists. With many foreign visitors puzzled over how to use squat toilets and even shunning them as "unsanitary," the government has been promoting toilet modernization ...
Toto hopes to clean up with new self-cleaning toilets
With the upcoming 2020 Olympics in mind leading Japanese toilet-maker Toto Ltd. has recently introduced a new type of self-cleaning toilet for public restrooms, aiming to improve bathroom experiences for locals and foreign visitors to Japan. "We're seeing a surge in inbound tourism," said Hirofumi ...
