Free admission and plenty to see! Great for families with children ◎ Museum of global companies [Comprehensive report] (Kitakyushu City)

Hello! I'm Haga, a mother of four growing children.

As our children grow, we have more opportunities to think about their living environment.

This time, we will introduce a museum run by TOTO Ltd., a global company with its headquarters in Kitakyushu.

The TOTO Museum (Nakajima, Kokurakita Ward, Kitakyushu City) where you can learn for free about the history of water-related products such as flush toilets and unit baths, and their future developments

The TOTO Museum is located in Nakajima, Kokurakita Ward, Kitakyushu City. It opened in 2015 as one of the commemorative projects for TOTO, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2017.

It is about a 3-minute walk from the Nishitetsu bus stop "Kifune-cho" and about a 10-minute walk from Kitakyushu Monorail Kaharaguchi Mihagino Station, so it is easily accessible by public transport.

If you are driving, you cannot enter from the opposite lane, so we recommend turning left onto National Route 3 from the Tobata direction. Parking is free.

Image: Hagashi Tomomi

Once you enter the building and take the escalator up to the second floor, you will find the entrance to the "TOTO Museum." Admission is free.

There is also an elevator right next to the escalator.

The ceiling inside the building is designed to resemble a drop of water and has a soft curve, creating a bright, clean and open atmosphere.

Image: Hagashi Tomomi

Three exhibition rooms packed with things to see! Things you may think you know about toilets, but don't

The exhibits in the museum are broadly divided into three sections.

In the first exhibition room, you can see "TOTO's Roots and History."

There were also many photo spots, including a "video of cleaning manufacturing" that you could watch while sitting on a toilet-shaped sofa, and a replica of Japan's first seated flush toilet.

I was particularly interested in the "History of Tableware" zone. I wondered why tableware was on display in a museum about water, but it turns out that TOTO Ltd. was originally called Toyo Toki Co., Ltd.

Although the company was founded as a manufacturer of sanitary ceramics (a general term for ceramic appliances used around water such as bathtubs, sinks, toilets, urinals, and washbasins), due to the lack of a sewer system at the time the company faced financial difficulties, and so it also began manufacturing tableware until 1970.

Image: Hagashi Tomomi

Among the precious tableware on display, my eye was caught by a lapis lazuli tea set.

At the time in the pottery world, it was said that "dark colors are difficult to produce," but Toyo Toki had the high level of skill to produce lapis lazuli-colored tableware.

The current corporate color of "TOTO" is said to have originated from this lapis lazuli color. I thought that because it is a company that deals with water, blue-based colors were used, but that was not the case.

The exhibits conveyed the spirit and passion for manufacturing that has been passed down since the company's founding.

Image: Hagashi Tomomi

Next, we went to the second exhibition room.

You can see it immediately after passing through the corridor that contains the "Special Exhibition Room," whose theme changes from time to time.

Here you can learn about "the founding spirit and TOTO's manufacturing."

Image: Hagashi Tomomi

There was also a display of miniature sanitary ware that is said to have been carried around by salesmen to explain the products to customers when they didn't have showrooms yet. They are so cute that you'll want to collect them, but the total weight is said to be about 7 kilograms!

Image: Hagashi Tomomi

Along the walls is a display showing the evolution of bathroom fixtures in Japan.

You can learn about defecation and water-related matters from the Jomon period to the present day in chronological order. There is also a toilet space that recreates what it was like back then, so my child who came with me had a great time talking about how it was like when he was a child.

Image: Hagashi Tomomi

Going further in, there is an exhibition corner where you can see the evolution of bathroom products.

It was possible to trace the evolution of each product, such as toilets, washlets, and unit baths.

*Washlet is a registered trademark of TOTO.

Image: Hagashi Tomomi

Some of the products were actually installed.

For example, there was a special toilet installed in the National Diet Building, which was completed in 1936. When you look at this exhibit, you can see that the top surface appears blackened in places.

Aren't you curious as to why this is? There are also "Guided Tours for Individuals" and "Guided Tours for Groups" (free, advance reservation required) that will answer those "why?" questions and give you fun facts about the exhibits, so be sure to check them out if you're curious.

Image: Hagashi Tomomi

There were also some exhibits that you could actually touch (with some exceptions) and photo spots, making it a place that people of all ages could enjoy.

Image: Hagashi Tomomi

The third exhibition room is the "Global Gallery," where you can see products from each region of the world.

There are many variations of products sold overseas that are not available in Japan, and they have the technology and design required in each region. For example, the washlets in Southeast Asia do not require hot water, and it was interesting to learn about the climates and tastes of the world.

Image: Hagashi Tomomi

You can also listen to explanations about these exhibits by touching the special guide map with a free rental "audio guide pen."

Supported languages are Japanese, Korean, English, and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional). Although it is only in Japanese, there are also explanations for children.

Image: Hagashi Tomomi

Also check out the extremely popular "Toilet Paper-Shaped Senryu Collection"! Be sure to check out the shop that stocks a variety of items.

Besides the exhibition space, there is plenty to see.

At the Museum Shop near the entrance, you can buy original products such as the "Toilet Paper-Shaped Senryu Collection" (350 yen), which has senryu written on toilet paper, as well as products related to "TOTO." There is a wide variety to choose from, so you can have fun.

Image: Hagashi Tomomi

The "Toilet Paper-Shaped Senryu Collection" is apparently a popular souvenir item.

Image: Hagashi Tomomi

In addition, in the "Library Corner," you can freely browse a variety of children's books and specialized books related to water. You can relax and enjoy your book while looking at the view outside from the large windows.

During this tour, I felt the passion for manufacturing that has been passed down since the company's founding.

Since it is about things like water that are so close to us, there is bound to be a lot to discover and learn. Please come and visit. (Text by Tomomi Hagaga)

＜Click on the facility name for more information about the facility ↓＞
■ TOTO Museum
Address: 2-1-1 Nakajima, Kokurakita Ward, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Business hours: 10:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30)
Closed: Mondays, summer holidays, New Year's holidays
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