Open Post: Hosted By These Transparent Toilets In Tokyo

Japan. Their technology is about fifty years ahead of the rest of us. This means that in roughly half a century, we’ll all be doing our business in stylish restrooms with transparent walls. This is based on the recent installation of futuristic toilets in two Tokyo parks. They were designed by famous Japanese architect Shigeru Ban. The toilets have see-through walls until you enter and lock the door. Then the walls become opaque, so no one can see you inside. I can only assume Shigeru is a wizard, because that shit is clearly magic.

This is all part of the Tokyo Toilet Project, an initiative to provide more accessible public toilets to everyone, regardless of sex, age, or disability. The Nippon Foundation, the group heading up the plan, explains that the transparent walls aren’t just cool, they’re also useful. People can look inside ahead of time to see if the toilets are clean and to make sure no one is hiding inside. They also light up at night for added safety.

Here are the restrooms in action:

噂の透明トイレに行ってきた〜鍵をかけると透けない仕組みらしい。おもしろかった！ pic.twitter.com/sgKYQNybcr

— ませせいか (@maseseika) August 11, 2020

At first, that video gave me a whole lotta NOPE. What if you don’t lock the door properly? Or the technology and/or magic wears off mid-pee?

But then, I took a moment to reflect on how I usually go to the bathroom. Door wide open (I live alone), accompanied by my cat Bob, who stares up at me so enraptured it’s as though my sitting on the toilet is the most glorious tableau his big, green kitty eyes have ever seen. So maybe those transparent toilets would actually be an improvement on the privacy front.

One direct ticket to Tokyo, please! What’s that? I have absolutely no money and the world is still smack in the middle of a pandemic? Never mind then!

Pic: Twitter