Tousu at Tofuku-ji Temple in Kyoto, Japan

Atlas Obscura reports on the oldest surviving toilet in Japan, located at Tofuku-ji, a major Zen temple in Kyoto. Dating to the early Muromachi period — over five hundred years ago — this structure, called a tousu, is one of seven essential facilities in a traditional Zen temple complex. As part of their training, monks were required to use this facility in complete silence, adhering to strict rules of conduct. Now designated an Important Cultural Property, it's preserved for visitors and no longer in active use.

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