Flushed with pride: Japanese Expo pavilion offers super toilets

The British might have the most seeds at the 2010 Expo and the Romanians the big apple, but the Japanese Pavilion will boast amenities at their pavilion that no one else can match: “the world's most comfortable and cleanest toilets.”

If someone knows toilets, it’s the Japanese.

According to Sakaiya Taichi, the producer of the Japan Industry Pavilion, in an Expo toilet press release he said, “People will feel as happy and relaxed in the toilets as they would in a comfortable living room.” Do they come with a newspaper and a TV?

Actually, they come with much more.

The toilets feature aromatic odors, 24-hour cleaning (phew) and all the usually technology one has come to expect from Japanese commodes. Cooling seats to counter the Shanghai summer heat? We can only hope.

The Japanese Pavilion

The 6,000 square meter Japanese Pavilion will be the largest Japan has ever build for a world expo and one of the biggest at the Shanghai 2010 Expo. According to DesignBoom.com, the building has been officially nicknamed Zi Can Dao (purple silkworm island) giving you an idea of the shape, color and design of the building (see above).

Twenty-four Japanese companies invested ¥3 billion (US$33 million) in the pavilion.

If you don’t make it into the Japanese Pavilion toilet experience, we’ve found five not-to-be-missed Shanghai toilets to enjoy year round, or just stop by Constellation I to check out their toilet (and the Moscow Mule if you have time).