#4: Nishihara 1-chōme Park

Andon Toilet

Location #4 is at 1-chōme-29-1 Nishihara, Shibuya. So, chōme or district 1, block 29, building 1.

The architect, Takenosuke Sakakura, found that a former toilet here was seldom used because it was very uninviting. As he wrote, "By constructing a facility that is bright and open in the limited space of the site, we hope to improve the image of not only the toilet but the entire park. We hope that the toilet will illuminate the park like andon, or lanterns, creating an inviting public space for the visitors."

The rear wall uses frosted glass for natural light and the vague shapes of nearby trees.

The toilet is in a narrow park running along the south side of some tall buildings built along the south side of an elevated highway and elevated rail line. Hatagaya Station is a short distance to the west.

Visiting the Toilet

The Nishihara 1-chōme Public Toilet is surrounded by small trees and flower beds.

There's a universal toilet suitable for wheelchairs, ostomates, and people with babies in the center. On either side are rooms each with toilet, urinal, and sink.

Here's the floor plan.

Let's look in one of the non-fully-accessible toilets.

At far left is the translucent glass wall running across the rear of the structure. This isn't fully accessible, but it does have nice sets of rails for the toilet and urinal.

The fully accessible toilet includes this ostomate fixture. Supplies, clothing, etc., could be temporarily placed on the broad shelves at left and above.

Break for lunch

I visited locations #01, #02, #03, and #04 in the late morning of my second day of visiting Tokyo Toilet Project sites. After #04, it was getting close to noon, and I was a short ride away from Shinjuku Station.

So, I rode to Shinjuku, exited its west side, and went north to an area beside some of the higher level tracks exiting the station.

I went to Omoide Yokochō, a series of narrow passages lined with small izakayas.

Grilled chicken and onion skewers, grilled pepper skewers, and edemame.

Moving on to the next location

Here is a walking route joining locations #01, #02, #03, and #04. The ends of the route are at Sasazuka Station and near Hatagaya Station, respectively KO 04 and KO 03 on the Keiō New Line a short distance west of Shinjuku Station.