7. Juli 2021
The 2021 Olympic Games are around the corner! Due to the current restrictions, only a few spectators will be lucky enough to travel to Tokyo for this historic event. From the moment they arrive, however, they will have the chance to experience the outstanding hygiene Japan is known for – especially in restrooms. “Toilets are a symbol of Japan’s world-renowned culture of hospitality,” explained the Nippon Foundation on their website https://tokyotoilet.jp/en/. The foundation also initiates and supports other social projects. They asked TOTO to supply the equipment for public toilets in Tokyo designed by internationally renowned architects. Travellers will also find hygienic shower toilets and other sanitary ware from TOTO on the planes flown by Japanese airlines and upon arrival at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport.
Travellers flying with a Japanese airline will have the chance to use WASHLET™ on the plane. Once they arrive at Terminal 2 in Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, they will enjoy the distinctive hygiene culture in Japan that is closely linked to TOTO – the country’s undisputed market leader of sanitary products, responsible for selling the most shower toilets around the world. If they go to the toilet, they will encounter Gallery TOTO – a inviting space spanning 145 m2 equipped with several of TOTO’s shower toilet models, called WASHLET™. Travellers will see shower toilets throughout their visit in Japan. Whether booking a hotel, travelling by train, using a public toilet or one at a cultural institution, they will find shower toilets everywhere.
People can expect absolute cleanliness and hygiene when using the toilet in Japan. It’s necessary to change one’s shoes before entering the bathroom, for example. Thorough handwashing and leaving the space perfectly clean for the next user are just some of the commonplace aspects of everyday Japanese life.
The principles of comfort and cleanliness also apply to public toilets in Japan. The extraordinary Nippon Foundation project, The Tokyo Toilet, could only happen in this country. Tokyo’s Shibuya neighbourhood became home to 17 different public toilets, each of which is a unique architectural work of art. These objects were designed by such high-profile architects as Shigeru Ban, Tadao Ando and Kengo Kuma. TOTO was able to contribute its products for the interior design. The guiding principle was to create toilets for everyone to use: for people with physical limitations and of all ages; for men, women, children and families – ensuring a sense of comfort and safety for all.
The venerable Japanese company, one of the world’s leaders in the production of shower toilets, has been manufacturing WASHLET™ (name derived from the words “let’s wash”) for the past 40 years. Most Japanese homes now have shower toilets. In addition to offering warm-water intimate cleansing and a series of hygiene and comfort features, they provide an incomparable feeling of cleanliness. Today, they are on the way to becoming a more common aspect of everyday life in Europe. This is partially due to the still ongoing pandemic, which has made hygiene a stronger priority than ever before. People are also more willing to spend more money on renovations and invest in a shower toilet.
TOTO, one of the world’s leading sanitary ware companies with 36,000 employees world-wide, has an unwavering focus on people and their well-being. Since its foundation in Kitakyushu, Japan in 1917, TOTO has been developing, producing and marketing its comprehensive high-end bathroom concepts – entering the European market in 2009. The company aims to create a new attitude towards life through regeneration, comfort and hygiene, integrating easy-to-use technologies into their product designs in a smart, nearly invisible way. Japan’s leading manufacturer in the sector, TOTO offers a comprehensive range of products including ceramic sanitary ware, faucets and accessories. The company can look back on over 40 years of success in developing and manufacturing WASHLET, having sold over 60 million of them world-wide so far.
TOTO is strongly committed to improving people’s well-being – as well as that of our planet. TOTO joined Initiative RE100 with the goal of becoming an emission-free company and is working towards achieving carbon neutrality at all its locations by 2050 – primarily through the consistent use of renewable energies. In 2021, TOTO received certification from the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) for adopting targets in line with Paris Climate Accord. By selling and developing products that save water, the company is helping conserve resources each and every day. Sustainable products will make up 83% of TOTO’s portfolio by 2030 – with innovative technologies dramatically cutting water consumption. With these steps, TOTO is pursuing complete climate neutrality by 2050 – see our Integrated Report 2024 for more details.
More about TOTO: eu.toto.com