00:00:03 John Daub: There goes the Yamanote line, and this here is one of the newest public toilets in Tokyo. It's weird to be showing you a public toilet, but there's a reason behind it. Look at the design of it, first of all. Yes, that was the Yamanote line that just passed about five seconds ago. How you doing, everybody? In this episode, I'm going to talk a little bit about the Tokyo Toilet project. This area around Shibuya is loaded with brand new public toilets. Some of you might have heard about this project about two or three years ago, just as the pandemic was brewing. It was fueled by the Tokyo Olympics.

00:00:49 John Daub: Here, check out some of the other public toilets in the area that we've covered on this channel. Boom. This is the all-glass transparent toilet in Yoyogi Park, not too far away. You turn the lock switch, and it freezes over so you can't see inside. Unlock it, and you can see—it's pretty quick. It feels like you're taking a risk when you go in there, but you're not. Right now, the toilets are broken from a real cold spell that messed with the system, so only go if you don't mind people seeing you. But this was taken about two years ago when it first opened. When this first came out, everybody was having a lot of fun with it. It's so clean. Public toilets in Japan are usable.

00:02:13 John Daub: This one here is in Nabeshima Shoto Park, very close to Shibuya Station, maybe a 10- or 12-minute walk. All this stuff is made out of wood around it—from Kengo Kuma. The idea is to make you feel like you're in a forest, and it really does when you walk around this public toilet space. Again, it's in a park. The toilet before was uninspirational—just a place to go. Now you have something nice like this. This is the men's urinal. Not only does it become a tourist attraction, it's also a place you want to stop at—it's a destination. For the residents who live here, it's something very special. There's about six or seven other toilets in this "toilet forest" designed by Kengo Kuma. Inside, this is the multi-purpose one—much bigger. All the little details, like the rope on the handle, are there, especially if you're a designer. These architects really challenged themselves to make something special.

00:03:33 John Daub: I've been here for about 15 minutes walking around the area just taking a look. There's not really much around here—Yoyogi Station is the closest one, and Kitasando Station on the subway. JR Yamanote Line Yoyogi Station is about a five-minute walk. People have been coming here to take pictures of it, so it is quite famous.

00:04:00 John Daub: This one is designed by Mark Newson. He's not a Japanese designer, but I think he was inspired by the temples and shrines he walked around in Japan. When this project came to him, he had so many ideas, and this is what he came up with. First of all, the rocks around the base and the stairways are a really nice touch. Public toilets were basically just cement structures in Japan for a very long time. It doesn't really fit into Tokyo—maybe like Edo period or old Edo Castle. I can see the walls around it. On the top here, he made it out of copper with minko (traditional Japanese cypress bark roofing) from old designs, but this one's copper. I always like the little details, and in Japan, you get that.

00:05:42 John Daub: Let me take you inside—hopefully I don't get in too much trouble. There's the designer's name right there—Mark Newson. It opened January 2023. It's really beautiful. Wow, it's so nice and clean—this is a public toilet in the middle of the city. There's a place to change baby's diapers, nice sinks, very accessible for everybody. It is still a public restroom. Yeah, I am pretty excited about public restrooms—what can I say? It's the design, the creativity involved.

00:06:58 John Daub: So this is where we are right now—you can see Meiji Jingu right behind there. It's underneath the highway—kind of crazy. It's actually listed: Urasando Public Toilet. It's on the map, pretty close to the Olympic Stadium, between the stadium, Yoyogi Park, and Meiji Jingu.

00:07:31 John Daub: The Tokyo Toilet project has been ongoing for four or five years now. Leading up to the Olympics, they put in some really interesting ones centered around Shibuya, Shinjuku, Yoyogi, and Ebisu. Walking into one really does make you think public toilets here are kind of special. That's a weird statement, but they are in Japan because they're so clean, usable, and pretty. People are very responsible—which is a big contrast to the video I just made where people damaged a sushi shop by licking the food. Society here in Japan feels like it's starting to change between young people and the older generation. Why aren't toilets in the rest of the world this clean? Why do you think public toilets in your country are not usable? Leave a comment below. The toilets here are all over Tokyo—about 24 or 25 of them, mostly around Shibuya, Yoyogi Park, and near Shibuya Station. There's a cool website with a map.

00:10:16 John Daub: And it really does look very much like a little temple house with that beautiful shiny copper roof. This just opened last month—I wonder how clean and shiny it's going to be in a year from now. I'll take any questions.

00:11:17 John Daub: Although I could tell you one time when I was in Osaka Castle 20 years ago, I was actually using the urinal—in motion, drizzling—and a cleaning lady came and started to clean the lip as I was in action. I remember looking down and seeing her hand—that was the weirdest thing I've ever seen. See here, it's got these lights around the top that are really beautiful—it gives it a space feel. On the outside, it's ancient Japan, but inside it looks like a spaceship. So it's messing around with different periods of architecture. That's all pretty much I got for this.

00:13:03 John Daub: Yoyogi—so this is a choice you guys got, because we're going to extend the livestream. Make sure you click the thumbs up button. I could take you to Yoyogi Station, walk to Harajuku Station, or just get completely lost—it's up to you. Everyone says just get lost. Alright, let's walk to the back of the toilet while I'm reading comments. It's such an amazing public toilet. I like this new age cement wall, almost like a castle moat or the base of castles back in the Edo period. And it's right underneath the highway.

00:15:36 John Daub: So why don't I get lost here? I'm going to take you to Yoyogi Station—sounds good, because we were just in Harajuku the other day. Actually, I can't get lost around here because these streets—I did my first NHK program on Tokyo Eye walking here, my favorite walk. You can walk from Shinjuku Station along the Yamanote Line through Meiji Jingu—such a unique walkway, all gravel, and at the end you're in Harajuku. This is the Kitasando entrance—you can even stop in Meiji Jingu on the way.

00:17:01 John Daub: Tomorrow, I'm heading to Niigata—I'll be filming an episode that nobody has introduced yet on the internet. Then coming back, gotta go to Tokyo Station to get a Tokyo-wide pass—for less than $100, you get three days of unlimited Shinkansen travel as far as Niigata. All you need is a foreign passport—you don't have to be a tourist. I guess I could take you to the stadium—I believe it's this way, up the hill. The sticks everybody has are kendo sticks. Bye bye toilet—I never used you, but I sort of did by filming you. I'll be back one day for real. Leo says bye bye to everything, including inanimate objects—important to continue that tradition.

00:19:48 John Daub: The stadium is actually the other way—Sendagaya. So I gotta go back past the toilet—I did get lost, success. The National Stadium is in this direction. Do you guys mind if I stop by and get a cold one? We've been endorsed. Although it's so clean, I would feel guilty to do number two. There's some kind of kendo event going on. I should retitle this "John uses the John."

00:21:41 John Daub: Oh, that looks good—so we got some hot drinks: corn, ramen soup. Nah, ramen soup wouldn't be good. Oh, this is like uncle red bean paste but in drink form—maybe mochi in there. Alright, I'm getting that—it only takes cash. Let's drink some bean soup everybody—it's made from one of my favorite tea companies, Ito En. To your health—that's so good, sweet but good, with little pieces of bean. Great choice—thanks for talking me out of the ramen soup.

00:24:00 John Daub: Alright, time for a walk—something interesting, let me know. Oh hello—pretty good, nice to see you. I was just watching your video from four years ago walking from Shinjuku to Shibuya through—oh wow, that's crazy. I'm just filming the new toilet right over there. See you later—that's nice.

00:24:48 John Daub: I do have some "you found me" cards—oh shoot, I gotta stock up again. Alright everybody, here's the toilet again—this is one of the most beautiful public restrooms in the world, all yours for zero yen. Look at this apartment complex—how much do you think the rent is? Big windows and balcony—mammoth. Looks pretty new or renovated recently, right across from one of the best public toilets. I'm sure their toilets are better, although there's a public one right there.

00:26:42 John Daub: We're going to the National Stadium thanks to Peter's suggestion—he was a voice for the opening ceremony. This direction will take you to Shinjuku—you can see the buildings, the Metropolitan Government Building with the free observation deck, really nice view. Nice warm day—there's Sendagaya, right direction. Excited for those of you making trips here—maybe we'll do a meetup. Always take pictures of signs for photo albums—they help locate where you are.

00:28:44 John Daub: The sad thing about the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 was almost nobody was really watching—I lived through it. I went to the opening ceremony, which was crowded and risky. See the little bulldozer—those are so cool, so small they fit in narrow alleys for road work. If I became a billionaire, I might buy one to play with in my backyard—you need a license though. Excavator—thanks, Blippi has an excavator song. Over the next few years, we're going to see Tokyo evolve even more. Fake Mount Fuji isn't too far—Peter and I did a livestream there on his motorcycle before the Olympics.

00:32:23 John Daub: Usually there's a recycle bin at vending machines, but not here—lack of them more and more. If you have trash and can't find a can, Tokyo 101: carry it home or take it to a convenience store—they're public trash cans more or less. They recycle plastics, PET bottles, paper. 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson—they have toilets, ATMs, trash. You can pay bills, get plane tickets printed—like for Ghibli or Universal Studios Japan.

00:35:01 John Daub: Hey, a little background—she used to work at that cafe, and Starbucks too. There's Sendagaya Station—redone for the Olympics, really nice and clean. My lasting memory is a French guy whose children were taken away—he hadn't seen his Japanese kids in seven or eight years, doing a hunger strike. Weird laws in Japan—that breaks your heart. Adulthood is now 18, used to be 20. Check it out—there's a food festival. The hunger strike got him attention; I think the French ambassador met with him. WRX Turbo—takoyaki, yakisoba, nikudon, gyutan don, gyutan curry. Should I? Alright, let's do it—extended stream.

00:37:49 John Daub: Gotta wait—they're making the gyutan don right now. Wow, look at this—now I have to find a place to sit. The steps look good. Wow, it smells so good—I can see the stadium. You guys have no idea, I've been starving—fasting this morning to recover from a heavy week of eating. This is gyutan—beef tongue. Smells really good—if it tastes as good, I'm one happy man. Pepper, tare for saltiness—so good. No, wagyu is not good for beef tongue—the best comes from American beef, cheaper and tastes better, per Sendai people. Way better than fast food. In America, they don't eat beef tongue much, so it gets exported to Japan. After WWII, Japanese used GI throwaways to make delicious cuisine—like motsu nabe (offal stew).

00:43:26 John Daub: Who here can't use chopsticks? Raise your hand. It's a skill—it took me a year. If you live here, no choice. There are Japanese who can't—don't make fun, it's a disability. After India, I used hands a lot—food tastes different. Vegetables taste different cut with dull vs. sharp knife—utensils impact taste too. See this finger—put chopstick here at the top, not like baseball bat. Wedge between thumb—bottom doesn't move, only top like a pencil. Maybe that'll help.

00:47:18 John Daub: This was 900 yen, about seven dollars. You can use a different finger—that's fine. I don't wear sunglasses much—keep losing them. You can talk with your mouth half full—not full like a hamster. Hard to livestream eating without talking. My birthday's coming up, so is Leo's—we're doing Tokyo Disneyland—this goes to the food fund, it's expensive. To eat every grain of rice, put it in the corner and scoop—or shovel it up to your mouth if no patience. Don't eat the lemon—it's garnish. Disney 100 this year.

00:52:02 John Daub: Beautiful day—get some sun. Oh there it is—that's the Olympic Stadium right in front of us. We've gone from toilet to the ultimate toilet bowl—I shouldn't say that, it's Kengo Kuma's work. Any stadium looks like a bowl. They've renovated it—used to be just cement. Now it's opened up. I was only in it once for a media event before the Olympics. Thanks for the chopsticks tutorial—hope it helps; it's my way after 25 years—faster than Kanae even.

00:54:23 John Daub: Whoa, that's the biggest Rubik's cube I've ever seen. Shoutout to the Hungarian inventor. I have not been up here forever—they had walls around. Parkour should have been in the Paris Olympics—that would be amazing. Let's take a look at the map—no photography rules. TikTok—lick the National Stadium? That app is destroying the world. Disneyland entrance fee out of control—as long as people go, prices rise. Spencer knows Tokyo Disneyland best—performances and attractions have gone down vs. Universal.

00:57:46 John Daub: General public can go in and film—except certain dates, like Feb 9-11, open 10am-6pm rest of month. You can visit the National Stadium anytime. I don't film for profit—it breaks even. Love the ingenuity Kengo Kuma put in—he knows hot Tokyo summers. One criticism of Olympics was the heat—they should've moved to October. They moved the marathon out of Tokyo for heat. Kengo's genius: harness wind so even a light breeze cools naturally without much power, unlike Qatar.

01:01:18 John Daub: Thanks for clicking like and bringing me to the National Stadium—I wouldn't have otherwise. The reason I came was the Tokyo Toilet project—go back and check the video. In Japan, toilets are a big deal because they're so darn clean. It shows culture: keep places cleaner than when you used them. Despite clashing now—like that dude licking sushi food—Japan continues traditions, like fans cleaning World Cup stadiums. Great day—thanks for hanging out. Got to take a break from editing—new episodes coming this week, main channel gets love in February. Have a good day, see you later everybody.