About
Iitagyu Station stands quietly in the serene satoyama of Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture. Right next to the station, there is a mysterious space that seems to be integrated with nature. When you step into the area, which is surrounded by logs about two meters high, you find a garden where seasonal flowers bloom in abundance, and at its center sits a small glass-walled building in silence.
This building is a women-only public toilet named “Toilet in Nature,” designed by architect Sou Fujimoto. On a vast site of about 200 square meters, there is only one private room, enclosed in transparent glass. All four sides of the private room are glass, and when the outer wall door is closed, it blocks the view from outside, but from inside, you can fully experience the surrounding nature. This design allows you to feel a sense of unity with nature while still being in a private space. (asahi-mullion.com)
In spring, cherry blossoms and rapeseed flowers bloom profusely, delighting the eyes of visitors. This toilet was installed as part of the “Nakaboso International Art Festival Ichihara Art x Mix” held in 2012. Fujimoto attempted to reconsider the relationship between architecture and nature by creating the “world’s largest toilet” in this nature-rich area. (asahi-mullion.com)
Anyone can tour the grounds when the toilet is not in use. Visitors will surely be surprised and moved by this space in harmony with nature. The area around Iitagyu Station is a rural region surrounded by satoyama, and if you listen carefully, you can even hear frogs croaking, making it a truly peaceful place. The avant-garde art piece that suddenly appears in such a landscape gives you the feeling of having wandered into another world. (chibanippo.co.jp)
This “Toilet in Nature” is not just a public toilet, but an art piece that re-examines the relationship between nature, architecture, and humans, offering many people a new perspective. When you visit, be sure to experience this unique space and savor the feeling of becoming one with nature.