The Nippon Foundation
Hall of Fame 2020 Laureate
“Clean toilets that anyone can use … represent the Japanese spirit of ‘omotenashi’ or Japan’s hospitality culture. (Through this project), we want to further communicate Japanese toilet culture to the outside world.”
– Mihoko Ueki, Project Coordinator at the Nippon Foundation
The Profile
The use of public toilets is often limited because of stereotypes that they are dark, dirty, smelly and scary. Also, many of the public toilets are not easily accessible especially for people with disability. In order to overcome these problems, and to move toward the realization of a society that embraces diversity, The Nippon Foundation has launched THE TOKYO TOILET project.
THE TOKYO TOILET builds 17 public toilets, which can be used by anyone regardless of age, gender, or disability in Shibuya, Tokyo with the help of Pritzker Prize winners among 16 leading creators. Toilets are a symbol of Japan’s world-renowned hospitality.
We honour the Nippon Foundation with the World Toilet Organization Hall of Fame Award 2020 for their effort to improve toilet culture in Japan and around the world.