TOTO Museum
TOTO Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
TOTO Ltd. was founded in 1917.When sewage systems did not yet exist in Japan,the company began manufacturing flush toilets and other sanitary ware to promote public health and cultural lifestyles. Further advancement in plumbing equipment techology,products and service were added as Japan modernized,and our lifestyles changed with increased abundance and comfort. To continue to develop in step with society,TOTO believes it is important to retain these founding principles and correctly interpret company history,both of which are critical to pass our corporate values to future generations.This museum was,therefore,built as part of projects to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of TOTO. Together with culture and history of plumbing equipment,we hope the museum provides visitors an opportunity to learn about the philosophy behind TOTO Manufacturing and how products have developed.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
4.5
72 reviews
Excellent
49
Very good
18
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5
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Zimminaroundtheworld
Okinawa Prefecture, Japan1,874 contributions
Dec 2020
What a great museum the Toto Museum was. I traveled to Kitakyushu mainly to visit this museum and it was the highlight of my weekend trip. I walked here from the train station, it was a bit far but doable. The great thing about this museum was the price, it was free! The building was modern and the displays were nice and full of great information. Many of the displays did have English and there was a recording you can listen to on your phone. I love the Japanese toilets, they have ruined me for toilets in other countries. I can't believe the amount of thought and engineering that goes into the Toto toilets, it's amazing. This museum was awesome and I highly recommend visiting.
Written 29 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SCP905
Portsmouth, NH19 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Fabulous museum. Very well signed in English. Kids will enjoy it also. The information is fascinating and funny. Worth a stop. You do not need a special tour guide.
Written 25 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
95814
Sacramento, CA82 contributions
Oct 2019 • Solo
This may sound hyperbolic but the TOTO Museum is one of the most well-conceived museums of any kind. It perfectly balances the company’s numerous accomplishments without taking itself too seriously or only playing for “toilet humor” laughs. In addition to historically significant examples—the first ceramic flush toilet produced in Japan and the first “Washlet”—every kitchen and bath product ever sold by the company seems to be on display. The bathroom products are presented in a way you can see how they evolved decade-by-decade. There is also an interesting historical collection of the company’s beautiful ceramic tableware. For foreign visitors, a detailed multi-language map and audio guide is available in English, Mandarin, and Korean. The audio guide uses an interesting pen system that plays information as a result of pointing on a map of the 50+ exhibits. The map highlights what TOTO considers the important exhibits if you’re short on time. There is a vending machine with drinks, an area to take a break, a separate outdoor smoking section, and of course, restrooms. The structure, built for the company’s 100th anniversary, houses both the museum and working showroom/design center. The showroom should also not be missed!
Written 22 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christophe PJ
Knokke-Heist, Belgium372 contributions
Aug 2019
So glad I visited this museum!! So interesting to find the rich history of the thing I've been s(h)itting on every day!!!
Written 1 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MalandLine
Seattle, WA247 contributions
Jul 2019
We couldn't remember where we had seen the name before...then when we walked it...duh!?!? One thing that the Maland Line really liked was the example of how packaging could reduced waste and installation time.
Written 24 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eric J
Munich5,848 contributions
Jun 2019 • Solo
I loved it, and that surprised me. The museum is a guided tour of the history of sanitary fixtures in Japan, and of course, Toto's devlopment as a company and its role in that evolution. For example, it was surprising to learn that there was not a market for toilets in Japan for a long time, and it developed slowly. Toto sold dinnerware to finance the company's growth!
There are historic and technical exhibits, and there's an excellent guide book with audio accompanyment in multiple languages. And it's all free. The showroom downstairs is also interesting.
The staff were also very nice and helpful.
There are historic and technical exhibits, and there's an excellent guide book with audio accompanyment in multiple languages. And it's all free. The showroom downstairs is also interesting.
The staff were also very nice and helpful.
Written 14 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kira
16 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
We did not expect much for a free museum about toilets. But we were very impressed. It is great. The Audio pen which you use through the entire museum is really smart. Would highly recommend this as a different but nice activity.
Written 24 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thelonious22
Seongnam4,398 contributions
Nov 2018 • Solo
Toto Museum is unfortunately not about the band Toto, but Toto the toilet manufacturer. The first floor is a showroom where customers are there to actually redecorate their kitchen and washrooms with employees standing by to make all the arrangements. Second floor is the museum with some interesting displays about the history of the Japanese toilets. Walking around, visitors can see the evolution on the designs of the toilet, the improvement of water-saving mechanisms over the years, and the evolution of the Japanese washroom. English explanations are decent and few other languages can be accessed by scanning some QR codes. The exterior of the museum is also cool and stands out amongst an otherwise a dull looking stretch of buildings in the Kokura Station vicinity.
Written 27 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
greatkiwip0et
Wellington, New Zealand42 contributions
Apr 2018 • Friends
I thought this was going to be a history of toilets through the ages, but it's the historical museum of the biggest bathroom whiteware manufacturer in Asia. If you know about Japanese toilets, that's enough anyway. I don't have a smart phone, which is the only way to access an English translation of the notes that accompany the exhibitions, but my accompanying translator (nephew) helped out with the ones I was most interested in.
There is much less interactive stuff than I had been led to expect from the website, but it was still an interesting visit. Toto has been involved in more than just toilets, and its general ceramic history was a surprise.
The bathroom displays are inspiring, though I wished there were more of them, and I enjoyed seeing a living wall set up in one of them (note to self: next bathroom reno...).
Naturally I used the facilities while I was there, enjoying the best that Japanese design has to offer. The gift shop was small but extensive, and I bought a cool kitset balsa wood toilet to build.
Recommended, if you share this very narrow interest genre.
There is much less interactive stuff than I had been led to expect from the website, but it was still an interesting visit. Toto has been involved in more than just toilets, and its general ceramic history was a surprise.
The bathroom displays are inspiring, though I wished there were more of them, and I enjoyed seeing a living wall set up in one of them (note to self: next bathroom reno...).
Naturally I used the facilities while I was there, enjoying the best that Japanese design has to offer. The gift shop was small but extensive, and I bought a cool kitset balsa wood toilet to build.
Recommended, if you share this very narrow interest genre.
Written 19 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mollymoon_26
Bangkok, Thailand1,394 contributions
May 2018 • Friends
Cool and interesting museum exhibits Japanese and world toilet evolution. Display new technology of Japanese toilet system. Free entry, but quite far from monorail station. Museum is on 2nd floor, while 1st floor is a showroom. Modern architecture with green building system.
Written 29 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Judybat26
Reston, VA35 contributions
Does anyone know if the museum is open in August? I see on their website that it says it closes for "summer vacation" but no specific dates are mentioned.
YOSHIZO
Yokohama, Japan
Generally, summer vacation in Japan start from 13th to15th. It’s called “Bon Yasumi”. The museum doesn’t mention about date, but almost Japanese people take vacations in this date and many place or service in Japan will be out of service.
If you want to go there, I recommend emailing to the museum because summer vacation isn’t fix each year.
charlene b
69 contributions
Can we have a small group lunch at toto museum?
ETflyer
Fukuoka, Japan38,488 contributions
The museum has no cafe. You'll find some restaurants within 10 - 15 minutes walk distance.
charlene b
69 contributions
Is it possible to have a light snack or lunch at the museum for a group of 15 tourists
jenihalliday
Minato, Japan
What is the best way to get there from Tokyo?
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Frequently Asked Questions about TOTO Museum
- Hotels near TOTO Museum:
- (1.86 km) JR KYUSHU STATION HOTEL KOKURA
- (1.74 km) Nishitetsu Inn Kokura
- (1.60 km) Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kokura Ekimae
- (2.12 km) RIHGA Royal Hotel Kokura
- (1.20 km) Hotel Crown Palace Kokura
- Restaurants near TOTO Museum:
- (0.11 km) SUKE-SAN Udon
- (0.20 km) Tully'S Coffee Ogura Kibune
- (0.21 km) Yabusoba
- (0.22 km) Lawless Pine Buns Honpo
- (0.29 km) Sanuki Kamaage Udon Marugame Seimen Kokura