TOTO Museum — Attraction in Kitakyushu

The museum is bright and well- designed and the staff cannot do enough to help. There are audio guides which are easy to use and well- executed. Interestingly, Toto had to make its money in the early days by selling ceramic dinnerware, as toilets took a long time to catch on in Japan. The museum traces the history of the company and the Japanses culture is intertwined with the historic timeline of the evolution of the bathroom in Japan, making the whole thing very interesting. There is also a bit about ceramic technology - I had no idea that it was very difficult in the early days to make a toilet design that functioned well AND did not crack during the firing process, where the toilet shrinks by about 10%. Downstairs there is a showroom where you can see displays of various levels of Japanese bathrooms as people buy and install today - indeed, it's packed with customers and worth...

Would probably have had a great time here as a building professional from Amercia -if I could have gotten inside. Very inconsiderate of foreign guests, the English website does not clearly describe when it closes - we only discovered when we arrived that it was closed for most of new years week. Seems Wednesday and Monday's would be non ideal as well because different part of the museum close on those days. A simple website update giving specific closed dates would have allowed a successful visit since I was in town the day before and could have made it.

Here the specifics from the paper they posted on the door, for others considering a visit: News years holidays: Closed December 27th 2017- through January 4th, 2018. Showroom Closed Wednesday's. Museum Closed Monday's. Summer holidays are listed as well, guessing this means golden week? Not sure. People coming in the...

We were in Hiroshima and took a fun day trip to the Toto Museum in Kitakyushu. It was so quick and easy to get to, and the museum is way bigger and more impressive than I expected. Everything is beautifully curated, with signs in both Japanese and English, so you can follow along easily. The real treat, though, is the audio pens—they give you extra details in English that aren’t on the signs. The staff are so kind and helpful, making the whole experience even better.

The exhibits cover everything Toto is famous for, from their gorgeous ceramics to kitchen and bathroom fixtures—and of course, their iconic toilets. Make sure you test out their latest toilet designs in the restrooms! And don’t forget to check out the gift shop before you leave—it’s super cute, with lots of fun and quirky items that make for...