Exhibitionist takes advantage of Shibuya’s see-through toilet

When Shibuya’s transparent public toilets debuted in 2020, they were hailed as bold and avant-garde innovations. part Tokyo toilet The project’s bathrooms, designed by Shigeru Ban, feature smooth glass walls that become opaque once locked. A brand that symbolizes Japan Treat others with sincerity Culturally, they appear to provide a safe and inviting space within an urban environment.

The idea is simple: use the power of design to transform public restrooms, considered by many to be dark, dirty or scary, into symbols of hospitality and modern city life. The project aims to challenge these negative perceptions while fostering a sense of community and encouraging users to think of the next person in line. But what happens when an innovative idea is hijacked by someone with more sinister intentions?

A new kind of sexual harasser

Nicole Fujita recently came to public attention for her disturbing descriptions of the voyeurism and exhibitionism associated with these toilets. On October 12, Fujita recounted on a TBS radio show her disturbing experience in a see-through toilet in Shibuya, where she encountered what she called a “new type of sexual harasser.”

While walking past a high-tech see-through toilet, Fujita noticed a taxi driver using the facility, but something wasn’t right. Instead of locking the door or turning the glass opaque, the man deliberately left the door transparent and stared at her with an unsettling smile.

“He knew exactly what he was doing,” Fujita explain. “He purposely left the door unlocked and stared right at me. This was not a mistake. I guarantee you, he has done this before. He is a repeat offender. Please be careful.”

technical glitch

It’s not just intentional abuse that’s causing concern. Winter 2022, users report There is a delay in the glass becoming opaque when the door is locked, a problem caused by low temperatures slowing down the technology behind the glass. For some, this delay turns the avant-garde facility into a moment of unnecessary exposure.

While Shibuya’s see-through toilets may seem like the trend of the future, they also highlight the eternal need for caution—and the unintended consequences of transparency in more ways than one.

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