１．Introduction
This time it was not an online event, but a real-life tour organized jointly with Toilet Culture Research Group. We toured Fukagawa Edo Museum in Tokyo and an adjacent Ward Public Toilet, guided by the tutor Mr. Eiki Morita, who is a historical toilet researcher. This Museum is an experiential facility that recreates the streets of the Edo period of 19th-century Tokyo in full-size, allowing visitors to get an experience for the past real life in Tokyo downtown area.
2．Overview of Fukagawa Edo Museum
This museum is a building with four above-ground floors and one basement floor. It has a total floor area of 5,236 square metres. The model houses are a full-size recreation of the streets of Tokyo downtown during the Edo period. The museum entrance is on the first floor. The exhibit model houses are located on the basement floor. The visitors can get a bird’s-eye view from the entrance floor. A model cat is relaxing on the roof to greet visitors. Descending the slope leading to the basement floor reveals full-size installations of the detached houses, shops, and fire watchtowers, etc. Some laundries are hanging out to dry in the detached houses, wells and sewers along the narrow alleys. They give a glimpse into life-style at the time. The spacious interior also features sound and lighting effects that enhance the sense of realism as the day changes from morning to night. Visitors can remove their shoes and enter the shops or detached houses, where they can touch and feel the everyday items of the time. It is operated by the Koto Ward Cultural Community Foundation and opened in 1986.
３．Toilet conditions in downtown areas during the Edo period
There are two toilets in the style of the time at the detached houses in the museum. One is a public toilet at the end of a detached house besides the public well. It consists of two cubicles with the old crouching style toilet. The upper halves of the users were visible from outside, making it clear whether they are in use or vacant. The other one is in a boat house room in the detached house. We can imagine that this was a wealthy family having its own toilet at the time.
４．A public toilet at the district ward
An actually usable public toilet is located adjacent to the museum (Fig. 1). It was awarded “Good Toilet 10” Toilet Award by Japan Toilet Association (JTA). It is still well maintained and comfortable to use. There is a plaque commemorating the award on the wall (Fig. 2). All tour participants of the day are in Fig.3.
Fukagawa Edo Museum is a five-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Kiyosumi-Shirakawa Station. Admission fee is 400 yen (as of 2025). The museum is closed on the second and fourth Mondays of every month. (Tel: 03-3630-8625)
Fig.1. A public toilet at the district ward
Fig.2. JTA award plaque of “Good Toilet 10”
Fig. 3. All participants
