About
In a corner of Yoyogi Park, surrounded by lush green trees, stands a building that looks like a modern art installation. This is “The Transparent Tokyo Toilet,” designed by architect Shigeru Ban. At first glance, the transparent box, composed of vividly colored glass, blends seamlessly into the park’s scenery.
The most distinctive feature of this toilet is its transparent exterior walls. When a user locks the door, the glass instantly turns opaque, ensuring privacy. This design was conceived to address concerns about “cleanliness” and “safety” in public toilets. Before entering, users can check the condition inside, and while in use, complete privacy is maintained.
However, during the winter months, the drop in temperature causes the glass to take longer to become opaque, so from mid-October to mid-May, it is operated in a permanently opaque state. Even so, during the day, the toilet harmonizes with the surrounding landscape, and at night, the soft light from inside gently illuminates the park. Like a lantern, it adds warmth to the park’s nighttime scenery.
This toilet was designed as part of “THE TOKYO TOILET” project, a collaboration between Shibuya Ward, The Nippon Foundation, and TOTO. Sixteen world-renowned architects and designers are participating in this project to redesign seventeen public toilets throughout Shibuya Ward, demonstrating new possibilities for public spaces.
Shigeru Ban is known for his innovative architecture addressing social issues, such as buildings made with paper tubes and temporary housing for disaster victims. This toilet also reflects his original approach and has attracted attention both in Japan and abroad as a design that overturns the conventional concept of public toilets.
Visitors to the park stop in front of this toilet, captivated by its novel design. The cleanliness visible through the transparent glass, and the walls that instantly become opaque when locked—these are the crystallization of functional beauty, born from the pursuit of user comfort and peace of mind.
As night deepens, the soft light spilling from the toilet illuminates the darkness of the park. Like a beacon symbolizing hope for the future, it brings warmth to the hearts of those who visit.