What is the “public” toilet situation in Tokyo + COVID19

11 comments

1. hello there! I’m from australia and am famous for going for a wizz every 17 minutes!
   My experience:
   *Because we’re usually drinking water, coffee, booze, etc., and some cities are better with toilets than others. Are there a lot of public restrooms in every subway station?*
   Yes ..Tokyo mostly for us
   *What are restaurant/small shops/large department stores policies with bathroom usage? Have more public bathrooms been closed off due to COVID?*
   I had no trouble going to the wizzer in most major stores.. Well signed, and well toileted…I haven’t been since covid sorry.

   *…can you walk into a restaurant or store and ask to use their bathroom without being a paying customer? Because in NYC, you’ll usually get a look and a firm no…….*
   Never needed to, but mcdonalds and kfc are everywhere and have toilets too.. maccas is probably my go-to toilet place…
   *….do most bathrooms have toilet paper in the stalls? (I’ve been to Beijing and Taipei, and some stalls have no toilet paper or just a boc of tissues)*
   yup, but its no trouble taking your own! sometimes there are traditional squat toilets but mostly western styled…

   We’ve done extensive driving, and even 7-11s have toilets out in the rural parts!

2. Many subway and all train stations have toilets , as do malls and fast food/coffee shops. It would be weird going to a restaurant you’re not a patron of and asking for a toilet though you’d probably be allowed to use it anyway.

3. There are public, 24×7, washrooms in parks and most convenience stores. Convenience stores in busy nightlife areas often don’t have washrooms. All train stations have washrooms and if you ask the gate attendant, they will let you in without charge to use them. Departments stores and business building atriums are also great options, but depend on the opening times of the buildings. I haven’t noticed any bathroom closures due to COVID, but I also haven’t been out as much.

   > can you walk into a restaurant or store and ask to use their bathroom without being a paying customer?

   In a large chain restaurant, maybe. In a smaller shops, I doubt it, but I’ve never tried – there’s no need to.

   Yes, all bathrooms, even park bathrooms, have toilet paper. Many have no soap, however.

4. Most convenience stores have bathrooms, just use them

5. largeish shrines! that seem to have DoNotDisturb policy re: the resident insect life
   good spots to observe such

   & most parks even quite small ones / should be marked on maps

   & recently found a coin laundry chain with clean facilities

   much better than england, for example.

6. I’m struggling to think of any time that I’ve either a) seen a station without a loo, or b) seen a public one closed because of covid. Much better than the UK at least on both counts imho.

   As others have mentioned though, no soap is fairly common, so if you’re worried about covid it might be worth getting a portable bottle of hand sanitiser.

7. When I went to Tokyo and Osaka in 2018, finding public restrooms was one thing I struggled with (and public trash cans/recycling. There aren’t that many available.

   I have heard of one’s in parks and such, single user and general things have always been very clean whenever I found one. Hotels also had restrooms that I would assume gets cleaned constantly.

   For soap, you can get the sheet ones from convenience stores and carry tissues (dispensers aren’t always filled).

8. In the pre-covid times (2019), I would always use bathrooms in the train stations, but if I had to go elsewhere I would find one of those fast food joints (a lot of fast food curry) and buy a cheap beer or something and use the bathroom there.

9. Hello.
   I live in Chiba prefecture.
   (The city next to Tokyo)
   There is always a toilet at the station, and there is no lack of paper.
   It is well managed and well cleaned.
   I’ve never heard of the news that it was closed due to COVID19.
   Toilets at convenience stores and supermarkets are basically free to use.
   Some convenience stores prohibit the use of toilets only, so please check with the clerk before using.
   Toilets in the supermarket are freely available.
   The park toilets are not very clean and are not recommended.
   Also, you may not have the paper, so it is better to carry tissue paper with you.
   * Park toilets are also managed, but they are not as reliable as in train stations and stores.

10. Based on all of my travels, Tokyo is the easiest place in the world to find a public toilet. They are usually beautifully clean, stocked with toilet paper, free, no problem.

    Every train station will have a public toilet, some of them are outside of the ticket gate, but all of them will have one inside as well. Also, the big stations all have some kind of shopping building built around them, so just go into the department store like building and look for a toilet.

    Many convenience stores have a toilet as well, I just go into the toilet and buy something small on the way out. Just don’t go into a restaurant and ask to use the toilet without eating there.

    There are public toilets here and there in parks etc. Just open Google maps and type toilet, and you’ll get a bunch of local ones pop on the map.

    I recommend bringing a handkerchief to dry your hands after washing. Hand dryers have been stopped due to COVID-19

11. Not going to finding a not finding bathroom in Japanese cities is almost impossible.
    I’ve been to Japan 5 times and not once have I been a public bathroom what had me go “Yeah I’ll hold it in.”