Tour a ¥100-Million Toilet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQrZeWJKQfA
YouTuber Jenn in Japan made the trip out to the village of Otaki, a little under two hours' drive southwest of Sapporo in Hokkaido on the way to Niseko. Why, pray tell? As her on-camera friend Yuki explains, to visit a toilet that cost ichi-oku en (¥100 million, or roughly US$800,000) to construct!
Roadside station (or michi-no-eki) Forest 276 Otaki was completed in 1996. In addition to an elaborate log cabin styling for the building itself, the restroom was fitted with a conference table, marble walls, a vanity area with puffy seats like a movie star's dressing room, and even a self-playing Yamaha grand piano! While you might expect the toilets to be made of gold, they're sadly just ordinary bowls equipped with 1996-style Washlets—so they're actually a little outdated compared to the latest standard. (If you want a golden toilet, look here!)
Forest 276 Otaki offers a variety of local products in addition to its remarkable restroom facilities. Just be sure to go early—everything but the remarkable restroom closes by 6 p.m.!
