For first-time visitors to Japan, the initial encounter with a high-tech toilet can be both baffling and startling, particularly when the lid opens automatically as you approach. The experience continues to challenge as users grapple with Japanese instructions on the sophisticated control panel after completing their business.
However, once mastered, these technological marvels become indispensable. The warm seat, pre-flush function, built-in extractor fan, and bidet features create an experience that leaves travelers longing for them upon returning home.
From Basic Necessity to Art Form
Japanese toilets have achieved global fame for transforming a fundamental human need into something approaching an art form. This reverence extends beyond private homes to public facilities, which maintain impeccable cleanliness and often feature clever, innovative designs.
The cultural significance of these spaces was beautifully captured in Wim Wenders' film Perfect Days, which presents a gentle character study of a Tokyo toilet cleaner finding fulfillment in life's simple rituals through his work.
An Underground Marvel in Kiyotsu Gorge
During a recent visit, I discovered a truly spectacular public toilet in the most unexpected location - deep underground within a tunnel running alongside Kiyotsu Gorge, one of Japan's deepest gorges. The exterior resembles a bubble lost in swirling black and white stripes, reminiscent of a 1960s avant-garde album cover. Inside, a one-way window provides stunning views of the gorge beyond.
The 750-metre tunnel was originally constructed to provide safe access to the gorge for thousands of visitors. In 2018, it underwent a remarkable transformation into the Tunnel of Light art installation, which has since become as significant an attraction as the natural wonder it was designed to showcase.
Where Nature Meets Art Installation
The entire tunnel length bathes visitors in differently colored lighting, while viewing platforms overlooking the gorge feature mirrored surfaces that frame the spectacular outdoor vistas. Interestingly, queues for the public toilet form not just for facility use, but for photographers waiting for the space to clear to capture the perfect shot.
An even more Instagram-worthy installation awaits at the tunnel's end. The Panorama Station mirrors the gorge with a reflection pool, creating the ideal frame for holiday photographs - including the obligatory shot of photographers capturing images of the soaring ravine beyond.
The natural artistry of Kiyotsu Gorge itself commands attention, renowned for its hexagonal columnar rock formations created by volcanic magma and exposed over centuries by the fast-flowing Kiyotsu River. The V-shaped gorge naturally attracted curious visitors, but the tunnel became necessary after numerous accidents occurred on original pathways, with some visitors slipping and meeting their ends in the icy river below.
During my walk back through the Tunnel of Light, I paused once more at the public toilet, marveling at the optical illusion before stepping beyond it to capture one final photograph of the magnificent gorge.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Have you experienced high-tech Japanese toilets? What's the most memorable public toilet you've encountered for positive reasons? Share your favorite public art discoveries from travels. Email us at echidna@theechidna.com.au
