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Brand & Interesting Facts

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24/09/2025

THE TOKYO TOILET PROJECT PART IV: Lanterns, squids and opaque glass

In part four of our series on the Tokyo Toilet Project, we focus on the toilets designed by Takenosuke Sakakura, Fumihiko Maki and Shigeru Ban. All three architects prioritised the brightness of the spaces in their design. What else, if anything, did these toilets have in common? Keep reading to learn more.

Takenosuke Sakakura

Takenosuke Sakakura – “Andon Toilet“ in Nishihara Itchome Park

 

When Takenosuke Sakakura and his team visited Nishihara Itchome Park for the first time, it had a uniquely dark and lonely atmosphere. For this reason, the starting point for this project was to create a public toilet as an andon (traditional Japanese lantern) to light up the park. 
To make the toilet a useful andon for many people, Takenosuke Sakakura and his team decided not to emphasize the building. Instead, they focused on achieving as much brightness as possible. This was done through its simple, rectangular shape.

Another consideration was to make the space inside the toilet pleasant to use. After all, the toilet is an essential place in people’s everyday lives. Takenosuke Sakakura didn’t want it to feel like a confined area that’s unpleasant to use, even if the amount of space is limited. His goal was to design the “Andon Toilet” to feel as open as bright as possible within its limited space. This is why it has a high ceiling, while the transparent glass of the outer walls reflects the surrounding trees. The interior feels refreshing, with the sunlight filtering through the trees to illuminate the space. 

Nishihara Itchome Park

Takenosuke Sakakura and his team felt that it was important to create a facility that meets the basic requirements of a public toilet but still offers a unique appeal that encourages people to use the space. They hope to improve the image of the toilet as well as the entire park with this bright and open facility. 

Nishihara Itchome Park
Nishihara Itchome Park

Nishihara Itchome Park

Nishihara Itchome Park

Nishihara Itchome Park

Nishihara Itchome Park

Nishihara Itchome Park

Nishihara Itchome Park

Nishihara Itchome Park

Nishihara Itchome Park

Fumihiko Maki

Fumihiko Maki –" Squid Toilet" in Ebisu East Park

 

One of the things that Fumihiko Maki tries to emphasize in his design is a sense of place – in other words, the location’s historical background and universal value. Because the toilet he designed is located in a park for children that local residents have loved for a long time, he wanted the design to be fresh and somewhat humorous. For Fumihiko Maki, “fresh” means open and bright with a hygienic environment. “Humorous” means a place where people using the toilet can relax and unwind. 

It was important to Fumihiko Maki and his team that the facility function not only as a public restroom, but as a public space that serves as a park pavilion with a rest area. Thinking about a variety of different users, from children to people on their way to work, they wanted to create a safe, comfortable space that uses a decentralized layout to allow for good sight lines throughout the facility. The courtyard in the centre blends in with the park’s lush greenery. There’s also a bench outside the universal toilet for people to sit on and rest. The roof that integrates the different sections provides ventilation and natural light, creating a bright, clean environment while giving the facility a unique look similar to playground equipment. 

Ebis East PArk

Fumihiko Maki wanted to show that there are ways to create public spaces that make people happy – just like he and his team have done in Ebisu East Park. Architecture is something that remains in place for a very long time. For this reason, he wants it to be a social asset that lasts for years to come. 

Ebis East PArk
Ebis East PArk

Ebis East PArk

Ebis East PArk

Ebis East PArk

Ebis East PArk

Ebis East PArk

Ebis East PArk

Shigeru Ban

Shigeru Ban – Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park, Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park

 

There are two concerns that people have when they enter a public toilet – especially if it’s located in a park. The first is cleanliness, and the second is if there’s anyone hiding inside. Shigeru Ban designed these glass “transparent toilets” to solve both problems. 

When designing these toilets, he paid special attention to the layout of the equipment to ensure that the glass is transparent and the interior visible from the outside when the toilet is not in use. Because these are permanent fixtures in the parks, the equipment needed to be arranged to fit in beautifully as part of the scenery. 

Tokyo Toilet Project

These transparent toilets were installed in two locations: the Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park in Yoyogi and Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park in Tomigaya. The basic structure and equipment are the same. There’s no common area, but an individual universal toilet, women’s toilet and men’s toilet are arranged in a row. Shigeru Ban didn’t want the colours to be limited to the standard red for women and blue for men. This is why he used a cooler colour scheme in Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park and a warmer colour scheme in Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park. At night, the facility lights up the park like a beautiful lantern.

Tokyo Toilet Project
Tokyo Toilet Project

Tokyo Toilet Project

Tokyo Toilet Project

Tokyo Toilet Project

Tokyo Toilet Project

Tokyo Toilet Project

Tokyo Toilet Project

Tokyo Toilet Project

Tokyo Toilet Project

Anja Giersiepen

An article by

Anja Giersiepen

Senior Manager Marketing

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