TOTO Museum

What to know

The TOTO Museum (TOTO ミュージアム) in Kitakyushu opened for the company's 100th anniversary, showcasing the evolution of its business and products. This elegant two-story building on the company headquarters grounds features a showroom on the first floor and the museum on the second.

The museum guides visitors through TOTO's history, starting with the first ceramic flush toilet seat developed in 1914 and the company's official founding in 1917 as a pioneer in ceramic sanitation when most of Japan lacked sewerage. Exhibits include old toilet seats and exquisite porcelain tableware the company once produced as a side business.

The exhibition moves on to washlets, TOTO's most famous product today. Modern washlets not only wash and dry but also have heated seats, automated flushing, sound masking, and automatic lid opening and closing. Another room honors the pioneers whose ideas and contributions shaped the company.

One highlight is the gallery showing the evolution of toilets and other TOTO products over the decades, including toilet bowls, washlets, urinals, bathtubs, and fittings. The last gallery displays bathroom units sold overseas, tailored to different regions.

Visitors can try TOTO toilets firsthand in the museum's washrooms. The museum shop sells unique souvenirs. Most signage is in Japanese, but visitors can use smartphones to scan codes for audio guides or translations via the museum's wireless network, available in English and other languages. Free audio guide pens are also available in English and a few other languages.

On the first floor, the showroom lets homeowners browse the latest TOTO product designs. Besides bathroom and toilet units, the company also retails kitchen models. Products displayed are available to Japan residents; purchasing for overseas use would likely be complicated.